(Combining related stories)

Congress leader Pawan Khera moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking relief in multiple FIRs lodged against him in Assam, and Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow and Varanasi for his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Khera, mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud.

The CJI said the matter will be heard at 3 PM today itself after the conclusion of the constitution bench hearing in the Maharashtra Shiv Sena case for the day.

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Singhvi told the bench that multiple FIRs have been lodged against Khera over his alleged remarks against the prime minister.

“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,” Singhvi said.

He said due to the statements, multiple FIRs have been lodged against Khera in different states and, currently, Assam Police are at the airport here to take him into custody.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accompanied Khera to a police station at the airport where there was a huge deployment of CISF.

Khera was arrested by the Assam Police at the airport in new Delhi after being deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Khera was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary session when he was arrested by the Assam Police.

“He was detained by the Delhi Police on a request by Assam Police. We were just extending support to them. The arrest has been made by them,” a senior Delhi Police officer said.

“A request was received from Assam Police for assistance in arrest of accused Sri Pawan Khera in case FIR No. 19/2023, PS Dima Hasao, District Haflong, Assam.Based upon the same, requisite local assistance was provided and upon requisition of Assam Police, accused Shri Pawan Khera was detained from Terminal 1 of IGI Airport and has been subsequently arrested by the IO concerned of Assam Police. Necessary legal action shall follow,” the Delhi Police said in an official statement.

A case has been registered at Haflong police station in Assam against Khera under various sections of the IPC, including 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national interest), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.

Congress leaders sat on dharna at the tarmac in protest and did not allow him to be taken away without an arrest warrant.

“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.

Today, our senior leaders were travelling from Delhi to Raipur on an Indigo flight. They had all boarded the flight when our leader @Pawankhera Ji was asked to disembark from it & later arrested.

This is UNDEMOCRATIC.

We vehemently OPPOSE this dictatorial behaviour. pic.twitter.com/UpStDowk9y

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023

IndiGo in a statement said, “The flight is delayed as of now and we regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers.”

“A passenger was deplaned by the police at the Delhi airport from Raipur-bound flight 6E 204. Some other passengers have also decided to deboard on their own accord,” it added.

Congress leader K C Venugopal on Thursday termed the arrest and deplaning of his colleague Pawan Khera from a Raipur flight condemnable and accused the BJP of targeting the party’s plenary session and asked if India has become a banana republic.

“It is totally condemnable the way they are doing these things. We are all going to Raipur for the plenary session, Pawan Khera was also travelling with us, suddenly they deplaned Pawan Khera without any valid reason,” Venugopal told PTI at the tarmac.

“After half an hour, Delhi Police comes and says they have to hand him (Khera) over to Assam Police. We asked if there is an FIR, arrest warrant or any document, but nothing is there, only oral orders,” the Congress’ general secretary in-charge organisation said.

How can this happen, has India become a “banana republic”, he asked.

Venugopal said the whole episode was “very unfortunate” and alleged that it was aimed at the party’s plenary session in the Chhattisgarh capital.

“Three-four days back, they carried out raids in Chhattisgarh now this,” he said.