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Senior Congress leader Pawan Kheda has filed an application for anticipatory bail in the Gauhati High Court on Monday. This application is to the defamation case filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Riniki Sarma had filed an FIR against Pawan Kheda on 5 April. Kheda had alleged that Riniki had UAE and Egyptian passports, hidden luxury properties in Dubai and a company in the US. Both Himanta Biswa Sarma and Riniki have denied these allegations.

Crime branch registered a case

Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station has registered a case in this matter under several sections of the Indian Justice Code (BNS). These include making false statements to elections, fraud, forgery, forgery of public documents, use of false documents, insult that disturbs the peace and defamation.

On April 7, police also raided Pawan Kheda’s house in Delhi. Khera had earlier sought anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court, which was granted on April 10, but Assam Police challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. On April 15, the Supreme Court stayed the bail order of the Telangana High Court.

Bail was sought from the Supreme Court

Kheda then sought transit bail from the Supreme Court so that he could go to Guwahati without arrest. But on Friday the Supreme Court also rejected this petition. On Saturday, Assam Police sought a non-bailable warrant in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Kamrup Metropolitan District, but the court rejected it.

According to PTI report, the court said that the investigating officer (IO)’s demand for non-bailable warrant is based only on speculations and he has no concrete evidence.

Police can arrest

The court also said that the case is cognizable and non-bailable, hence the investigating officer can make arrest if necessary under Section 35 of BNSS. On Monday, the legal team of Assam Congress filed a petition in the Gauhati High Court on behalf of Pawan Kheda.

The petition has been registered on the High Court website and has been listed for hearing on Tuesday. This case is still going on and it will be heard in the High Court on Tuesday.