HC grants transit anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera

Hyderabad

The Telangana High Court on Friday granted transit anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera, the official spokesperson and media in-charge for the Indian National Congress, in connection with a criminal case registered by the Guwahati Crime Branch.

The High Court Single Bench comprising Justice Kalasikam Sujana ruled that in the event of arrest regarding Crime No. 04 of 2026, the petitioner shall be released upon executing a personal bond of Rs 1,00,000 with two sureties of a like sum.

This protective order remains effective for a duration of one week to enable the petitioner to approach the competent jurisdictional court in Assam for appropriate legal relief. The proceedings arose from an FIR registered on April 5, 2026, involving multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including sections 175, 318, and 338. The court observed that with the exception of Section 338, the alleged offences carry a maximum punishment of less than seven years’ imprisonment.

Senior Counsel Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the charges were a product of political vendetta following a press conference in which allegations were leveled against the Chief Minister of Assam.

Conversely, the State of Assam, represented by Senior Counsel Devajit Saikia, challenged the maintainability of the petition, contending that the filing in Telangana constituted forum shopping and that the petitioner should have sought relief in the jurisdiction where the FIR originated.

In granting the transitory relief, the court imposed several stringent conditions to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation. The petitioner is required to cooperate fully with the investigating officer and is strictly prohibited from inducing, threatening, or promising any person acquainted with the facts of the case to dissuade them from disclosure. Furthermore, the court directed that the petitioner must not tamper with evidence or leave the country without prior judicial permission.

Highlighting the petitioner’s status as a public figure, Justice Sujana further mandated that Mr. Khera exercise restraint in making public statements regarding the subject matter of the case to avoid prejudicing the investigation during this interim period.