New Delhi, 17 April (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Congress leader Pawan Khedia’s plea seeking an extension of his one‑week transit anticipatory bail, declining to stretch it up to April 21 so that he could file a regular anticipatory‑bail application by April 20.

A bench headed by Justice J. K. Maheshwari observed that if courts are not functioning, aggrieved parties may approach the respective court for an early hearing, and the concerned court can then decide the matter in accordance with established procedure.

During the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Khedia, urged the Court to extend the Telangana High Court’s interim relief, submitted that the window of April 10–17 expired without adequate opportunity to move a full bail application in Assam, and sought extension up to April 21 to file the petition.

The bench, however, rejected the request, effectively leaving the existing transit bail to lapse within the original time frame.

The Court also issued a notice on a separate plea filed by the Assam government challenging the jurisdiction of the Telangana High Court to grant transit anticipatory bail in the Assam FIR case, and directed Khedia to file his response within three weeks.

Importantly, the Supreme Court clarified that Khedia remains free to approach any competent court within Assam’s jurisdiction for anticipatory bail, and that the Centre’s order will not bar the concerned court from deciding such a plea on its own merits.

The legal saga stems from an FIR registered in Assam, after which Assam Police raided Khedia’s residence in Delhi on April 7, only to find him absent.

The Telangana High Court granted him a one‑week transit anticipatory bail on April 10, providing temporary protection from arrest while he negotiated his legal strategy; the Supreme Court’s latest order, however, puts him back in the position of having to seek fresh protection through the appropriate forum in Assam.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar