SC grants bail to Pawan Khera, but cautions ‘there has to be some…’
1 min read . Updated: 23 Feb 2023, 05:30 PM IST
PremiumSenior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Pawan Khera, submitted that the language used during the press conference was erroneous, and Khera wouldn't stand by it
The Supreme Court has directed a Delhi court to grant interim bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera, who was arrested by the Assam police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a recent press conference.
Khera was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary session when he was asked to disembark from the IndiGo flight at Delhi airport and was subsequently detained by Delhi police. He was later arrested by Assam police over a case registered at Haflong police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A, 153B, 500, and 504, for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.
Senior Congress leader had approached the Supreme Court seeking relief in multiple FIRs lodged against him. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Khera, submitted that the language used during the press conference was erroneous, and Khera wouldn't stand by it. "He (Khera) has made statements in a press conference. He has made certain statements which I cannot say in the court but I personally would not have made."
Singhvi also argued that the multiple FIRs in different states were deliberate harassment and urged the apex court to consolidate all FIRs into one jurisdiction.
There has to be some level of discourse…: SC to Khera
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud granted interim bail to Khera upon being produced before the competent magistrate in Delhi. The apex court issued notices to the states of Assam and Uttar Pradesh, seeking their responses on Khera’s plea seeking the clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him.
Chandrachud also told Singhvi that while his client has been granted protection, “there has to be some level of discourse."
Apparently, Khera had recently distorted Prime Minister Modi's full name, in an apparent swipe over the row involving business tycoon Gautam Adani. While demanding a joint parliamentary probe into the Adani-Hindenburg row, Khera said in the press conference, "If Narasimha Rao could form a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee), if Atal Bihari Vajpayee could form a JPC, then what problem does Narendra Gautam Das...sorry Damodardas...Modi have?" he said, appearing to confirm the middle name with a colleague.
However, he maintained that it was merely a slip of the tongue, and one should not read much into it.
(With inputs from agencies)