The ongoing legal clash originated from controversial remarks made by Congress leader Pawan Khera regarding the wife of the Chief Minister, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, has escalated in both Delhi and Guwahati. The Assam government recently appealed to the Supreme Court to contest the Telangana High Court’s decision, which had granted Khera a one-week transit anticipatory bail. Khera’s attorney, Shubdeep Roy, is poised to respond to the High Court’s directives within the week.
During a press conference on April 5, 2023, Khera accused Sharma of possessing multiple passports and holding undisclosed overseas assets. These claims, alleging that she failed to disclose critical information in her election affidavit, prompted a fraud case to be launched against Khera by the Guwahati Crime Branch for spreading misinformation. In an effort to evade arrest, Khera sought legal protection from the Telangana High Court on April 7, which subsequently granted him interim relief on April 10, contingent on his execution of a bond for one lakh rupees. This relief required Khera to fully engage with the ongoing investigation and prohibited him from leaving India or making public comments concerning the case.
In response, the Assam government has now formally contested Khera’s bail in the Supreme Court, arguing that generating false allegations against officials’ families is a significant offense that could undermine the electoral process. Concurrently, the Crime Branch has accelerated its investigations into the allegations under the Indian Penal Code Sections 175 and 318. The resolution of Khera’s legal situation hinges on the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the validity of his bail.