Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s (APCC) legal cell will move a bail petition for All India Congress Committee (AICC) media and publicity chairperson Pawan Khera before the Gauhati high court in connection with a forgery and criminal conspiracy case filed by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.Riniki filed the case at the Crime Branch Police Station of the Guwahati Police Commissionerate on April 6 midnight, hours after Khera accused her of holding passports of the UAE, Egypt, and Antigua and Barbuda. He also accused the Sarma family of having a limited liability company in the US.Advocate Aman Wadud said, “A legal team of APCC led by me and advocate Reetam Singh will file the bail plea before the Gauhati HC on Monday. The plea could not be filed earlier as the court was closed for the Bohag Bihu vacation.”On April 7, an Assam Police team led by DCP (Crime) Debajit Nath, in cooperation with Delhi Police, conducted a search at Khera’s residence in Delhi but did not find Congress leader. The DCP said police would trace Khera wherever he was.Khera sought transit anticipatory bail from the Telangana HC on April 7. On April 10, justice K Sujana of the Telangana HC granted him transit anticipatory bail for one week, subject to conditions, including that he will approach the Gauhati HC for appropriate relief.The Assam govt challenged the order in the Supreme Court, which stayed it on April 15, calling it “forum-shopping”. On April 17, the SC refused to extend the bail or vacate the stay, directing Khera to approach the Gauhati HC immediately for relief. The case registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station includes charges of false election statement, cheating, forgery, and insult under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
