Congress Leader Pawan Khera Moves Supreme Court Against Gauhati HC's Rejection Of Anticipatory Bail In FIR By Assam CM's Wife

Congress leader Pawan Khera has approached the Supreme Court against Gauhati HC's rejection of his anticipatory bail plea in connection with an FIR filed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, over his allegations related to her holding multiple passports.

Vide the impugned order, the Gauhati High Court denied Khera anticipatory bail, observing that he dragged an 'innocent lady' into the controversy to gain political mileage.

Prior to that, the Telangana High Court, on April 10, granted one week transit anticipatory bail to Khera and permitted him to move before the concerned court. The anticipatory bail was filed in Hyderabad, where Khera was stated to have a residence.

Assam Police thereafter moved the Supreme Court against this order, and on April 15, the top Court stayed the grant of transit anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court.

The bench said that if Khera applies for anticipatory bail in the Court having jurisdiction in Assam, then the interim order passed by the Supreme Court will not have any adverse effect on the consideration of such an application.

On Friday (April 17), the Supreme Court declined Khera's plea to vacate the stay imposed by it on the transit anticipatory bail granted to him by the Telangana High Court.

The Court had also turned down Khera's plea to extend the transit bail till next Tuesday so that he can approach the Assam Court on Monday.

The bench also clarified that neither the observations in the High Court's order nor the Supreme Court's stay order should influence the concerned Court while considering Khera's application for anticipatory bail.

In this background, Khera moved the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected vide the impugned order.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 175(false statement in connection with an election), 35, 36, 318 (Cheating), 338, (forgery of valuable will, security etc.), 337(Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.), 340(Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine), 352(Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 356(Defamation) of BNS at Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station.

Earlier this month, Assam police had reached Hyderabad, Telangana, looking for Khera. The Congress leader has claimed that the Assam CM's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, holds three passports. Khera is the Chairman of the Media & Publicity Department of the Congress party and is also a member of the Congress Working Committee.

According to reports, the Assam Police also visited Khera's residence in Delhi and conducted a search.

Case Title : PAWAN KHERA v. STATE OF ASSAM, Diary No. - 25523/2026