The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail granted to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in connection with a case over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi till March 3, reported The Indian Express.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud took note of the submissions by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Assam, that the state police wanted to file its reply. Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad, appearing for Uttar Pradesh, also said that she will also be filing the response in the matter.
The bench took note of the submissions and fixed March 3 as the date for hearing Khera’s plea, while also making clear that the interim bail, granted to him on February 23, will continue to remain in force. The top court had earlier directed the Delhi court to grant him interim bail till the next date of hearing on February 28.
Khera was arrested by Assam Police last Thursday after he was deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight as he was leaving for Chhattisgarh, along with other Congress top leaders, to attend the three-day plenary session of the Congress party, which was held at Nava Raipur. After his arrest, Assam police had said that Khera will be produced at a magistrate court in Delhi for transit remand.
The arrest was made in a first information report (FIR) filed at the Haflong police station in Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The complaint was filed by Samuel Changsan, BJP leader and a member of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, who alleged that Khera’s comments were “a part of a wider conspiracy to degrade and destabilise our nation by defaming and disreputing the person, who is holding a high constitutional post as Prime Minister of India”.