The Indian Supreme Court rejected Congress leader Pawan Khera’s plea for a transit bail extension on Friday. The decision forces Khera to face legal proceedings directly in Assam. It escalates the ongoing political confrontation between opposition figures and state-level law enforcement agencies utilizing cross-border FIRs.
A bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Atul S. Chandurkar declined the request submitted by Khera’s counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The court directed Khera to immediately approach the competent jurisdiction in Guwahati. This mandate comes according to a detailed report by The Hindu verifying the Supreme Court’s April 17 order denying interim protection to Pawan Khera and directing him to the Assam court.
Khera faces an FIR in Guwahati. The charges include defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. They stem from his April 4 press conference. During that briefing, Khera alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, possessed multiple foreign passports and undisclosed luxury properties.
Assam Police searched Khera’s residence in Delhi. He then obtained a one-week transit anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court on April 10. The Supreme Court stayed that order on April 15. The top court expressed surprise at the High Court’s intervention. Justices criticized Khera’s legal team for submitting inconsistent documents, including an Aadhaar card with a conflicting address.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly stated Khera must surrender to the law in Guwahati. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented Assam Police during the hearings. Mehta formally accused Khera of “forum shopping” to evade the appropriate legal venue.
The Supreme Court established a strict boundary with this ruling. The competent court in Assam must now evaluate Khera’s upcoming anticipatory bail application strictly on its own merits. The local magistrates will operate completely uninfluenced by the prior transit bail orders or stays from higher courts.