'Pawan Khera has tendered unconditional apology': Assam CM Himanta Sarma on airport arrest row

On Thursday, the Congress claimed its senior party leader Pawan Khera was deplaned from a flight to Raipur, where he was going to attend the party's plenary session in Raipur. The Congress also claimed Khera was arrested by Assam Police.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday (February 24) said that Congress leader Pawan Khera has tendered an unconditional apology, a day after Khera was deplaned.

In a tweet, CM Himanta Sarma said, "The accused (Congress leader Pawan Khera) has tendered an unconditional apology. We hope that by keeping the sanctity of public spaces, no one will use uncivilized language in political discourse hereafter."

On Thursday, the Congress claimed its senior party leader Pawan Khera was deplaned from a flight to Raipur, where he was going to attend the party's plenary session in Raipur. The Congress also claimed Khera was arrested by Assam Police.

It is reportedly said that Khera was stopped from flying to Raipur following an order by the Assam Police. Airport Police and Assam Police officials were present at the spot to arrest the Congress leader.

Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan, IGP L&O and spokesperson of Assam Police, said Khera has been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and inciting communal disharmony over his remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to a news organisation, Bhuyan said, "A case has been registered against Congress leader Pawan Khera at Haflong police station in Assam's Dima Hasao district. A team of Assam Police left for Delhi to take remand of Pawan Khera in connection with the case."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ordered grant of interim bail to Pawan Khera till February 28. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said Khera will be produced before the competent magistrate in Delhi and released on interim bail.

"In order to enable the petitioner (Khera) to apply for regular bail before the jurisdictional court, upon the FIRs being transferred to one jurisdiction, we direct that the petitioner shall be released on interim bail by the court of the competent magistrate at Delhi where he is to be produced this evening," said the bench, also comprising Justices MR Shah and PS Narasimha.