Congress leader Pawan Khera, who was arrested by Assam Police last week amid controversy at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, has been granted interim protection from arrest, according to the Supreme Court, which issued the order on Monday.
The Assam and Uttar Pradesh governments asked for more time to submit affidavits in response to Khera’s request that FIRs be filed against him, one from Assam and two from UP, over allegedly derogatory comments about prime minister Narendra Modi. The court responded by extending protection.
Khera will be protected up to the court’s subsequent hearing, which is likely on Friday, the court added.
Khera was arrested on Thursday after being made to leave an IndiGo flight bound for Raipur, where the Congress was holding a plenary meeting. Until their colleagues from the north-eastern state arrived, the Delhi Police held him in custody.
Within a short period of time, Khera was granted interim bail and protection from arrest until Tuesday by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court. The chief justice added that “some amount of dialogue” was necessary.
Why was Khera arrested?
Khera referred to the prime minister as “Narendra Gautamdas Modi” on February 17 at a press conference in Mumbai. He spoke to a colleague and then seemed to rectify himself.
The purpose of the press conference was to announce the Congress’ requests for a parliamentary inquiry into the accusations made against the Adani Group by US short-seller Hindenburg Research.
BJP leaders expressed anger at the comment, claiming it was an insult to Modi. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, called Khera a “courtier” and claimed that the words revealed a Congress “full of entitlement and scorn.”
What happened on IndiGo flight 6E-204?
Khera was requested to depart the plane before it took off, carrying him and several of his colleagues, including Supriya Shrinate and Surjewala, to the Congress meeting in Raipur. He was informed that the airline tag on his luggage had a “problem.” Later, Khera said he hadn’t checked any bags.
Khera was informed he could not leave the plane because a DCP-rank police officer (deputy commissioner of police) was on his way to arrest him after he got off the plane, to the vehement objections of other Congress leaders who staged a dharna on the tarmac of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
In opposition lawmakers from other parties, such as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and former Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy, who spoke out in support of the Congress leader as Khera was finally led away by Assam Police, protests on the tarmac grew as Khera was being led away by the Assam Police.
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