SILCHAR: The Gauhati High Court on Friday rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with his allegations that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma possesses multiple passports and undeclared properties abroad.
A single bench of Justice Parthiv Jyoti Saikia, which reserved the order on April 21 after hearing arguments from both sides, dismissed Khera’s plea filed on Monday after the Supreme Court asked the Congress leader to approach the Guwahati High Court.
Solicitor General of Assam Devajit Saikia confirmed this development.
The judge noted in his order that the petitioner claimed that the accusations he made were based on certain documents he had in his possession, while the police claimed that those documents were actually proven to be forged.
The court said that after filing the case, the petitioner did not assert that the police had made fabricated allegations.
“The prosecutor’s contention that the petitioner’s case falls within the category of possession of forged electronic documents or records (Section 339 of the Banking Law) appears to have force in this matter,” the judge said.
If Khaira had raised these accusations against the Prime Minister, it would have been merely a political speech. But in order to gain political gains, he dragged an innocent lady into the controversy.”
The court said that custodial interrogation is necessary in this case to find out who his accomplices are, who collected those documents for him, and how and from where they collected those documents.
The court held that the petitioner was not entitled to the privilege of anticipatory bail.
Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Khaira on Friday urged the Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court to quash the order rejecting the politician’s anticipatory bail application, alleging that the state prosecutor representing the complainant, the chief minister’s wife, in the case violates the rules of the Bar Council of India.
Advocate Ritam Singh urged Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar to intervene to prevent a “serious miscarriage of justice” due to alleged suppression of facts and conflict of interest by Solicitor General Devajit Saikia.
The Supreme Court heard Khaira’s petition on Tuesday and reserved its order.
A team of advocates led by Abhisekh Manu Singhvi argued on behalf of Khaira while Solicitor General of Assam Devajit Saikia opposed the bail plea.
(With inputs from PTI)
