Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera in Assam case

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 1, 2026: The Supreme Court of India has granted anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case filed over his allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife.

A bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.S. Chandurkar allowed pre-arrest bail to Khera, subject to certain conditions, as per an order uploaded on Friday. The court had reserved its verdict on Thursday.

The apex court directed that Khera be released on anticipatory bail in the event of his arrest in connection with Crime Branch P.S. Case No. 04/2026, on terms deemed appropriate by the investigating officer.

It instructed Khera to cooperate with the investigation, appear before the police as required, and refrain from influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence during the probe or trial. He has also been barred from leaving the country without prior permission from the competent court. The trial court has been given discretion to impose additional conditions if necessary.

Allowing Khera’s appeal against the April 24 order of the Gauhati High Court, the bench observed that the high court’s findings were not based on a proper appreciation of the material on record and appeared erroneous, particularly in shifting the burden onto the accused. It also noted that observations related to Section 339 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were not justified in the absence of a specific offence being alleged.

The case stems from allegations made by Khera regarding multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets purportedly linked to Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, who subsequently filed criminal complaints against him and others at the Guwahati Crime Branch under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera a seven-day transit anticipatory bail, which was later challenged by Assam Police in the Supreme Court. The apex court had stayed that relief and directed Khera to approach the Gauhati High Court.