Guwahati, April 17: The Supreme Court has declined to extend transit bail for Assam Congress leader Pawan Khera in the Riniki Bhuiyan passport case, directing him instead to seek anticipatory bail from the Gauhati High Court.

A bench comprising Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Atul S Chandurkar ruled that the Assam court would not be influenced by earlier Supreme Court observations, including its stay of the Telangana High Court’s order granting transit anticipatory bail.

During the proceedings, the Court criticized Khera for submitting incorrect documents, including an Aadhaar card. His counsel, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that the errors had been rectified during the Telangana High Court hearing and stressed that they were not made with criminal intent.

The Supreme Court also questioned the jurisdiction of the Telangana High Court in hearing a matter originating in Assam, noting that its earlier stay had left Khera vulnerable to arrest by Assam police.

The case stems from allegations made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who accused Khera of making false claims against his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma. The controversy began after Khera alleged at a press conference that Sharma possessed multiple passports and undisclosed foreign property, which he claimed were omitted from the Chief Minister’s election affidavit.