Himanta Sarma Warns Top Cop Over Delay In Pawan Khera's Arrest

Guwahati : The chief minister is 'more upset with the Assam police than with Pawan Khera.'  Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned of action against Guwahati police commissioner over failure to detain Congress leader Pawan Khera. FIR was filed based on complaint by CM's wife over alleged defamatory claims on citizenship and financial disclosures.

Sarma criticised police for allowing Khera to leave Guwahati despite FIR being registered around midnight. Supreme Court declined interim protection, directing Khera to seek relief from a competent court in Assam.
 
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has warned that the Guwahati police commissioner could face action for failing to arrest Congress leader Pawan Khera after an FIR was registered against him, sharpening the ongoing political confrontation in the state.

Sarma said the police commissioner would be 'in the firing line' on May 5 if his government returns to power.

"The FIR was registered around midnight. If prima facie questioning was required, it should have been done immediately. But by early morning, Pawan Khera had already left Guwahati, which shows that the Assam police allowed him to leave," Sarma said, adding that he was "more upset with the Assam police than with Pawan Khera."

The FIR was lodged by the Guwahati crime branch following a complaint by the chief minister's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, over allegations made by Khera regarding her citizenship status and financial disclosures.

The Sarma family has denied the claims, describing them as baseless and defamatory.

Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, said he could not intervene at the time as the Model Code of Conduct was in force during the assembly elections.

Legal developments : The Supreme Court declined to extend interim protection earlier granted to Khera by the Telangana high xourt and directed him to seek relief from a competent court in Assam.

Khera had approached the courts seeking protection from coercive action to allow him time to apply for anticipatory bail in Assam.

With the top court declining relief, the onus is now on him to pursue legal remedies within Assam.