The Guwahati High Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with the FIR filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, news agency ANI reported.
As HT reported earlier, a legal team representing the Assam Congress approached the Supreme Court on Monday by filing a petition on behalf of Khera.
The petition was heard by a single bench of Justice Parthiv Jyoti Saikia on Tuesday, who reserved the order after hearing arguments from both sides for over three hours.
A PTI report said that senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, while appearing before the Congress leader via video conference, said that the statements made by the Prime Minister in response to the Congress leader’s allegations indicated a “political vendetta”.
Singhvi maintained that the petitioner did not pose a “flight risk” and that there was no need to arrest him.
What is the case
The case stems from the FIR filed by Rinike Bhuyan Sharma against Khaira on April 5 over his allegations that she holds passports issued by the UAE and Egypt, owns undisclosed luxury properties in Dubai as well as a company in the US. Both Sharma and the Assam CM have denied the allegations.
Following the complaint, the Guwahati Crime Branch registered a case under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including false statements in relation to elections, cheating, forgery of valuable guarantees or will, forgery of public records, use of forged documents as genuine and intentional insult with intent to create breach of peace, and defamation.
A police team also conducted searches at Khera’s residence in Delhi on April 7.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla attacked Khaira after the Supreme Court order, alleging that the party was targeting Assam and resorted to misinformation.
He said: “Where is this Babar Sher? He became Bhiji Beli after targeting Assam during the Pakistan insurgency and Rahul Gandhi using forged documents. Kunj hates Assam.”
