The Gauhati High Court on Friday (April 24, 2026) rejected Congress leader Pawan Khera’s anticipatory bail plea in connection with a case registered by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, in the Assam Police Crime Branch, against his claim that she possesses multiple passports and has foreign assets.
Earlier, on April 21, the Gauhati High Court reserved its order on Congress leader Pawan Khera’s plea for an anticipatory bail
SC allows Pawan Khera to seek anticipatory bail in Assam court, declines interim protection
The case arises from a press conference addressed by Mr. Khera on April 4 in which he alleged that Ms. Sarma held three passports issued by different countries and levelled allegations of illegality against her. An FIR was registered by the Guwahati Crime Branch on April 5, following which the Delhi residence of the Congress leader was searched on April 7.
Mr. Khera had argued that the FIR was motivated by “political vendetta” and was an attempt to silence him. The Assam Police had challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the Telangana High Court over a case registered in Assam.
