3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 18, 2026 04:23 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to vacate its stay on the Telangana High Court order granting transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera. The court also declined his prayer to extend the relief till April 21, in connection with the case filed against him over his allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.
Appearing for Khera, Senior Advocate A M Singhvi said the transit bail expires on Friday and that the concerned court in Assam, which he had to move, will only open on April 20. He urged the bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and A S Chandurkar to extend the transit bail till April 21, so that he can approach the concerned court on April 20.
Opposing the plea, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state of Assam, said that the court is open on Friday.
Justice Maheshwari referred to Mehta’s submission that Khera had approached the Telangana High Court citing his wife’s address there, and that this amounted to fabrication.
Singhvi said the Supreme Court’s April 15 order staying the high court order was an ex parte one, without hearing Khera.
On the argument about his wife’s address being produced before the high court, Singhvi said the mix-up happened because the petition was filed in a hurry. He added that during the hearing in which the Assam advocate general was present, the correct documents were pointed out.
The senior counsel said that Khera was only trying to get anticipatory bail but was being hounded. “Am I a hardened criminal or terrorist, that I can’t get protection till Tuesday?” Singhvi asked.
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Justice Maheshwari asked what was wrong with the April 15 order that it should be interfered with. Singhvi said there was suppression of facts and the court was misled. “I made small error with document, and I am being punished like this,” he said.
The court, however, refused to vacate the stay and clarified that its observations would not influence the consideration of the matter by the court concerned.
The case stems from a press conference held by Khera on April 4, in which he alleged that Sarma’s wife had three different passports, adding that the Assam chief minister was involved in various illegal activities.
