Congress leader Pawan Khera has been granted temporary anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court following allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, sparking a debate over political motivations and legal procedures.
In some relief to senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, the Telangana High Court on Friday granted temporary anticipatory bail for one week to the party spokesperson in a case registered against him by the Assam police over his allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.
During the hearing of a petition filed by Khera, Justice Sujana Kalasikam said, "The petitioner is granted time for one week to file an application before the concerned court. Granting relief to the petitioner for one week with the conditions."
The Congress leader on April 5 had alleged that the Assam CM's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in the chief minister's election affidavit for the April 9 Assembly polls in that state.
The case against Khera was registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under several sections of the BNS, including 175 (false statement in connection with an election), 35 (Right of private defence of the body and of property) and 318 (cheating).
Khera, who filed the petition in the High Court on April 7, showed his residential address in Hyderabad. He requested the court to release him on bail in the event of his arrest.
Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who argued virtually for Khera on Thursday, alleged political vendetta in the case by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.
Singhvi, describing Assam CM Himantha Biswa Sharma as a "Constitutional Cowboy," said Khera was in Hyderabad when the FIR was filed against him by Guwahati police and that he co-resides with his wife who is a resident of the Telangana capital. She had also contested in polls in the southern state.
Assam Advocate General Devajit Saikia, who argued against Khera's petition on Thursday, had stressed that there was no political vendetta against the Congress leader and that the petition was not maintainable before the Telangana HC.
He further said the complainant is a lady (Sarma's wife) and not a political person. The allegations made by Khera are devoid of any truth, he said.
An Assam police team had earlier visited Khera's Delhi residence for questioning in connection with the case.
Sarma on Tuesday slammed the Congress for "not verifying" the documents based on which it brought allegations against him and his family.
The CM asserted that Khera had "run away" to Hyderabad, but the Assam police will "hunt him down even from 'pataal' (netherworld)".