Supreme Court directs release of Congress leader Pawan Khera on interim bail till Feb 28

File Photo/PTI

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Assam police to release senior Congress leader and spokesperson Pawan Khera on interim bail till February 28.

The apex court also sought response of Assam and Uttar Pradesh governments on clubbing of multiple FIRs against the Congress leader and directed the leader's plea seeking protection from arrest and clubbing of multiple FIRs to be listed on Feb 27.

Khera was deplaned at Delhi Airport by the Delhi Police while he was on way to attend the plenary session of the Congress party. Other Congress leaders accompanying him sat on the tarmac in protest and resisted efforts to take him away without an arrest warrant.

Delhi police later handed him over to the Assam police who arrested him in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Khera moved the Supreme Court seeking relief in multiple FIRs lodged against him in Assam, and Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow and Varanasi.

Also read: Pawar Khera arrest: BJP-led Centre trying to disturb Cong plenary session, says Chhattisgarh CM

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for Khera and listed the matter for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud.

Senior counsel Mohit Mathur, representing the leader, mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma in the post lunch session.

Singhvi told the apex court bench that multiple FIRs have been lodged against Khera. He has made statements in a press conference. He has made certain statements which I cannot say in the court but I personally would not have made.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who was also on the flight, tweeted: "We are all on the @IndiGo6E flight 6E 204 to Raipur and all of a sudden my colleague @Pawankhera has been asked to deplane. What sort of high handedness is this? Is there any rule of law? On what grounds is this being done and under whose order? (SIC)" she said.