Supreme Court extends Pawan Khera's interim bail till March 3

The Supreme Court (SC) on February 27 extended interim protection to Congress leader Pawan Khera, from an arrest who was arrested over a remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Congress leader was taken into custody last week by Assam Police amid the controversy over a remark on PM Modi at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI).

The apex court extended the protection after the Assam and Uttar Pradesh governments sought extra time to file affidavits in response to Khera asking that FIRs be filed against him -- one from Assam and two from Uttar Pradesh -- over remarks against PM Modi.

The top court said that Khera would be protected till its next hearing, which is likely on March 3.

Khera was apprehended on February 23 after he was forced to de-board an IndiGo flight to Raipur, where Congress was holding a plenary session.

Following the arrest, within hours, the top court was approached and Chief Justice DY Chandrachud granted Khera interim bail and protection from arrest till February 28.

On February 17, while speaking during a press conference in Mumbai, Khera referred to the Prime Minister as Narendra Gautamdas Modi.

The press conference was held to flag the Congress' demands for a parliamentary inquiry into allegations about the Adani Group by United States-based short-seller Hindenburg Research.

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