In a significant setback for Pawan Khera, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the interim relief granted to him by the Telangana High Court in connection with a criminal case filed in Assam. The top court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Assam government challenging the earlier decision that had granted Khera transit anticipatory bail. With this stay, the protection from arrest previously given to him has now been suspended.

The case stems from alleged defamatory remarks made by Khera against the wife of Himanta Biswa Sarma, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. During the hearing, the bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria issued a notice to Khera and stated that the Telangana High Court may not have had the proper territorial jurisdiction to grant such relief, as the case was registered in Assam. The court also noted arguments by the Assam government that approaching a different High Court could amount to misuse of legal process.

However, the Supreme Court clarified that Khera is free to seek anticipatory bail from the appropriate court in Assam, where the FIR has been lodged. The Assam Police have filed multiple charges against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including defamation, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The case highlights a broader legal and political conflict, with Khera’s legal team arguing that the charges are politically motivated, while the Assam government maintains that due legal procedure must be followed.