Remarks against PM: SC orders Pawan Khera's release on interim bail till Feb 28
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that Congress leader Pawan Khera, arrested by the Assam Police for his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, be released on interim bail till February 28.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said that upon being produced before the competent magistrate in Delhi, Khera would be released on interim bail.
"The above order will remain operational till Tuesday (February 28)," the bench, also comprising Justices M R Shah and P S Narasimha, said and listed the matter for February 27.
The apex court issued notices to the states of Assam and Uttar Pradesh seeking their responses on Khera's plea seeking clubbing of multiple FIRs lodged against him at Assam, Lucknow and Varanasi for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.
Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Khera, said the Congress leader had apologised for his remarks on the prime minister on the very same day and the offences alleged against him in these FIRs do not require arrest.
He said the choice of words used and the sections invoked against him do not match the offences alleged.
"It will have straightaway impact on the latitude of free speech," Singhvi said.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Assam Police, played the audio-video clip of the alleged remarks in the open court and said Khera cannot use such "derogatory words" against a democratically elected prime minister of the country.
Bhati told the court that Khera has been arrested and will be produced before a competent magistrate during the day for transit remand.
The top court took up the matter at 3 pm, within an hour of Singhvi mentioning it for urgent listing.
Earlier in the day, Khera was arrested at the Delhi airport after being deplaned from a flight to Raipur in connection with his alleged remarks against Modi, made at a press conference on February 17 at Mumbai. The Delhi Police said he was detained at the request of the Assam Police.
Khera, against whom a case has been registered in Assam, was asked by the Delhi Police to deplane. Congress leaders accompanying him sat on the tarmac in protest and resisted efforts to take him away without an arrest warrant.
Senior Delhi Police officials later handed them a document from the Assam Police seeking their help in arresting Khera.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accompanied Khera to a police station at the airport where there was a huge deployment of CISF.
A case has been registered at Haflong police station in Assam against Khera under various sections of the IPC for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.
"We are all on the @IndiGo6E flight 6E 204 to Raipur and all of a sudden my colleague @Pawankhera has been asked to deplane," Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who was also on the flight, said on Twitter.
"What sort of high handedness is this? Is there any rule of law? On what grounds is this being done and under whose order?" she said.
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AAP leader Atishi takes charge as eighth CM of Delhi, leaves Arvind Kejriwal's chair empty
New Delhi (PTI): AAP leader Atishi, who took the oath of office on Saturday, took charge as the eighth chief minister of Delhi on Monday.
The Delhi Assembly's session will be held on September 26 and 27.
Atishi has retained the 13 portfolios she held in the Kejriwal government, including those of education, revenue, finance, power and PWD.
"I will work for four months as the chief minister of Delhi like Bharat did by keeping Lord Ram's Khadaun on the throne. Arvind Kejriwal has set an example of dignity in politics by stepping down. The BJP left no stone unturned to tarnish his image," she said after taking charge.
Atishi sat on a different chair as used by Kejriwal.
"Hope people will bring back Kejriwal in February polls, his chair will remain in the CM office till then," she said.
Saurabh Bharadwaj has eight departments under him, the highest after Atishi, including those of health, tourism, art and culture.
New entrant Mukesh Ahlawat has got the portfolio of labour, SC and ST, employment and land and building departments. Gopal Rai has been given the portfolio of development, general administration department, environment and forest -- the portfolios he held in the Kejriwal government.
Kailash Gahlot has also retained his previous portfolios -- transport, home, administrative reforms, women and child development.
The new Cabinet headed by Atishi has a long list of pending projects, schemes and new initiatives to be launched in the next few months before Delhi goes to polls in February next year.
