Hyderabad, April 10 (NationPress) The Telangana High Court provided temporary relief to Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday concerning a case filed against him by Assam Police, which alleges defamatory and malicious statements regarding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.

The court granted Khera a one-week anticipatory bail, allowing him time to submit an application for regular bail in the appropriate court.

Justice K. Sujana, who had reserved judgment on Khera's petition the previous day, delivered the verdict on Friday.

Khera sought transit anticipatory bail from the High Court to facilitate his approach to courts in Assam.

His counsel, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, contended that the FIR lodged by Assam Police stemmed from political rivalry.

Singhvi claimed that the FIR was filled with numerous charges aimed at pressuring a political adversary. He argued that even if Khera's statements were inaccurate, it constituted defamation, and there was no justification for his arrest.

“Khera is not evading law enforcement. He is willing to cooperate. He approached this court because he was in Hyderabad with his wife when he learned of the FIR,” Singhvi stated.

In defense of Assam Police, Advocate General Devajit Saikia contested the viability of Khera's anticipatory bail request in Hyderabad, asserting that Khera, who resides in Delhi, failed to provide a valid reason for not filing the petition in Assam.

Assam Police has charged Pawan Khera with alleged defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

The case arose from Khera's assertions that Riniki Bhuyan possessed multiple foreign passports and undisclosed overseas assets.

A team from Assam Police visited Khera’s home in Delhi on Tuesday, but he was absent. Officers also set up barricades and increased security at the residences of Khera and his wife, Neelima, in Hyderabad.

The Congress leader has faced scrutiny from Assam Police following his explosive allegations against Chief Minister Sarma’s wife, leading to his being charged under 14 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which include defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

The controversy ignited after Khera's press conference on Sunday, where he alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma maintained three passports, undeclared luxury properties in Dubai, and shell companies in the United States.

Following his press conference, Khera, who has been difficult to locate, demanded that the Chief Minister address the serious allegations against him and his wife instead of resorting to police intimidation.

In a video statement, he expressed his determination not to be cowed by such tactics and vowed to persist in asking questions.

The Congress party shared Khera's video on its X account, purportedly filmed from an undisclosed location, where its Media and Publicity Department Chairman urged the Assam Chief Minister, "Instead of responding to serious allegations, you have unleashed your police. But we, the soldiers of Rahul Gandhi, will not back down."