Congress leader Pawan Khera will be granted interim bail by the Dwarka court, ruled Supreme Court. The Congress leader was arrested by the Assam Police at the airport after being deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight in connection with his alleged remarks against PM Modi. The SC also agreed to consolidate all the FIRs against the leader and issued notices to Assam Police and UP Police.
SC said, "Till the next date of hearing, the petitioner will be released on interim bail by Dwarka court."
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said Khera will be produced before the competent magistrate in Delhi and released on interim bail. "In order to protect the petitioner (Khera) until he applies for regular bail before the jurisdictional courts in relation to all the FIRs, we direct that till the next date of listing, the petitioner shall be released on interim bail by the court of competent magistrate in Delhi," said the bench, also comprising Justices M R Shah and P S Narasimha.
"The above order will remain operational till Tuesday (February 28)," the bench said and listed the matter for hearing on February 27. After dictating the order, the CJI, apparently displeased with the Congress leader's remarks, told senior advocate A M Singhvi, who was representing Khera, "We have protected you (Khera) but there has to be some level of discourse."
"He (Khera) 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," Senior advocate A M Singhvi appearing for Khera said. Singhvi, told the Supreme Court that Khera apologised and said that it was a mistake, a slip of tongue.
ALSO READ | Passengers on Delhi-Raipur flight asked to deboard by Indigo staff, to be put on another flight
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Assam Police, played the audio-video clip of Khera's alleged remarks, in the open court and said the Congress leader cannot use such "derogatory words" against a democratically elected prime minister of the country.
Terming it a "calculated statement", Bhati told the court that Khera has been arrested and will be produced before a competent magistrate during the day for transit remand.
