pawan-khera-moves-guwahati-hc-for-anticipatory-bail

Congress leader Pawan Khera has approached the Gauhati High Court, seeking anticipatory bail in the case recently registered against him by the Crime Branch of Assam Police in Guwahati. Khrea has sought anticipatory bail in connection with an FIR filed by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, amid allegations related to her holding multiple passports.

 

The plea was registered on Monday by the High Court Registry for its listing before a Bench. A criminal case alleging defamation, forgery and criminal conspiracy was recently registered against Khera. It may be recalled Telangana High Court had on April 10 granted one week transit anticipatory bail to Khera and permitted him to move before the court concerned. The anticipatory bail herein was filed in Hyderabad, wherein Khera is stated to have a residence.

 

The Assam Police had visited Khera’s residence in Delhi on April 7, but he was not present there. Khera later approached the Telangana High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail. The bench said 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.

 

The High Court granted him a week's relief on April 10 to enable him approach the courts in Assam for anticipatory bail. On April 15, the Supreme Court stayed Telangana High Court's April 10 order on an appeal moved by Assam government.Khera then filed an application challenging the Supreme Court's ex-parte stay on the High Court's transit anticipatory bail order.

 

On Friday (April 17), the Supreme Court also 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 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 court concerned, while considering Khera's application for anticipatory bail. It asked Khera to approach the Gauhati High Court instead. It is in this background that Khera moved the Gauhati High Court, seeking anticipatory bail on April 20.