Congress Leader Pawan Khera Released After Interim Bail From Supreme Court

Pawan Khera was placed under arrest by the Assam Police, with assistance from the Delhi Police.

Delhi Police arrived at the IGI airport and stopped Congress leader Pawan Khera from boarding a flight to Raipur on Thursday, 23 February, according to the party.

(Photo Courtesy: Congress)

After being arrested from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday, 23 February, Congress leader Pawan Khera was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on the same day.

Khera was arrested by Assam Police, aided by the Delhi Police, at Terminal 1 of the IGI Airport in Delhi on Thursday, over his comment about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

After his release on Thursday evening, Khera said that, "Without furnishing a copy of FIR and notice, I was deboarded from the aircraft and arrested by Assam Police in an illegal manner. I have complete trust in the judicial system which protected my freedom of expression today."

Details: "A request was received from Assam Police for assistance in arrest of accused Pawan Khera in case FIR No. 19/2023, PS Dima Hasao, District Haflong, Assam," according to Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa.

"Based upon the same, requisite local assistance was provided and upon requisition of Assam Police, accused Pawan Khera was detained from Terminal 1 of IGI Airport and has been subsequently arrested by the IO concerned of Assam Police," Nalwa added.

What did the court say? The apex court directed that Khera should be released on interim bail on production before the jurisdictional Magistrate at Delhi till the next date of hearing, reported LiveLaw.

"In order to protect the petitioner until such date as he applies for regular bail before jurisdictional court, till the next date of listing, Petition," the court said.

The court also issued notice to the states of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, where FIRs have been filed against Khera, on his petition seeking consolidation of FIRs.

The next hearing is scheduled to be held on 28 February.

Background: Khera was booked for referring to Prime Minister as “Narendra Gautamdas Modi," in a recent a recent press conference, where the party demanded an investigation by a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) against the Gautam Adani Group.

After this, a police complaint was registered against Khera by Assam BJP member Samuel Changsan at the Haflong police station, Dima Hasao, on Wednesday, reported The Indian Express.

Charges:

Khera has been booked under following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

• Section 120 B: criminal conspiracy

• Section 153 A, 153 B (1): promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, etc

• Section 500: defamation

• Section 504: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace

• Section 505 (1) (2): Statements conducing to public mischief