Congress leader Pawan Khera has approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with an FIR filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, the wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. According to court records, the petition was filed on Monday, 20th April.
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with a case registered against him by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife over allegations that she holds multiple passports and owns offshore assets.
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This move comes after a series of legal developments over the past few days. Earlier, on 10th April, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera a short-term transit anticipatory bail for one week, allowing him time to approach the appropriate court. However, the Assam Police challenged this order in the Supreme Court.
On 15th April, the Supreme Court stayed the Telangana High Court’s order. It also clarified that if Khera applies for anticipatory bail in a court in Assam, the earlier stay would not affect the decision on his plea.
Later, on 17th April, the apex court refused Khera’s request to remove the stay or extend the transit bail further. The court also made it clear that neither its observations nor those of the High Court should influence the Assam court while deciding the case.
Background of the case
The case began after Khera made allegations that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple passports. The FIR was lodged at Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station on the complaint of Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. It invokes multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those relating to false statements in connection with an election, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery of valuable security and public records, using forged documents as genuine, intentional insult, and defamation.
The case originated from a press conference held by Pawan Khera in New Delhi on 5th April 2026, during the Assam Assembly election campaign. Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma possessed three foreign passports (from the UAE, Egypt, and Antigua and Barbuda) and that the family had concealed assets worth ₹52,000 crore through shell companies registered in Wyoming, USA. He displayed purported documents as evidence before the media.
Earlier this month, Assam Police teams had travelled to Hyderabad, where Khera has a residence, in connection with the case.
