New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday expressed strong support for party colleague Pawan Khera after a major legal setback in the Gauhati High Court, asserting that the party stands united behind him and is confident of challenging the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Ramesh said the Congress believes justice will prevail despite what he described as attempts involving intimidation and political pressure in the case.
Reacting to the development, Jairam Ramesh posted on X, “The entire Indian National Congress stands solidly in solidarity with @Pawankhera, the Chairman of its Media and Publicity Department. The verdict of the Guwahati High Court is in the process of being challenged in the Supreme Court. We are confident that justice will prevail over the politics of threat, intimidation, and harrassment.”
The remarks come after the Gauhati High Court rejected Khera’s plea seeking anticipatory bail in a criminal case linked to his allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife. The court’s ruling marks a significant setback for the senior Congress leader, who has been facing legal scrutiny over comments made ahead of the Assam elections.
Khera had alleged during a press conference that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of the Chief Minister, held multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets. He claimed she possessed passports from UAE, Egypt, and Antigua-Barbuda, along with properties in Dubai and investments in shell companies. The allegations triggered strong political backlash and led to the filing of a criminal complaint.
Following the complaint, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma approached the Guwahati Crime Branch police station, invoking charges including cheating, defamation, forgery of valuable documents and electronic records, and intentional insult. The case soon escalated into a legal battle involving multiple courts.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had intervened in the matter and issued an interim order on April 15, pausing the grant of anticipatory transit bail. However, it clarified that Khera could seek relief before the appropriate court in Assam without being affected by the interim order.
Khera later approached the Supreme Court again, seeking to vacate the stay on transit anticipatory bail granted earlier by the Telangana High Court. However, the appeal was turned down on Friday, and he was directed to approach the Gauhati High Court, where his plea was ultimately rejected, deepening the legal challenge faced by the Congress leader.
(IANS)
