The Telangana High Court is set to hear Congress leader Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail plea today amid an ongoing row over his allegations against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's family. This follows an FIR by Assam Police for defamation and forgery, after Khera doubled down with fresh claims on Wednesday.
In the latest development in the controversy, the Telangana High Court will hear Congress leader Pawan Khera's anticipatory bail application on Thursday. The plea comes after Assam Police's Crime Branch registered an FIR against him last Sunday, based on a complaint from Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, over Khera's claims of her holding multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets.
An Assam Police team had visited Khera's Delhi residence on Tuesday in an attempt to arrest him. On Wednesday, Khera released a video statement refusing to be 'intimidated,' accusing Sarma and possibly the Home Minister of misusing police powers. He alleged a company in Riniki Bhuyan Sharma's name, registered in Wyoming, US, uses a fake London address linked to 'Bhuyan Properties Ltd,' plus addresses in Dubai and Dhaka. Khera reiterated claims of Egyptian and Antigua-Barbuda passports and a UAE golden visa, calling for a central probe into potential fake shell companies.
Sarma hit back, saying Congress leaders are pushing Khera towards jail and dismissing the documents as 'fabricated' and previously exposed. He predicted a backlash from Assam's people against Congress.