"The tongue had slipped...": Supreme Court hearing on the arrest of Congress leader Pawan Kheda

New Delhi: The matter of the arrest of Congress leader Pawan Kheda has reached the Supreme Court. A bench of CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice MR Shah, and Justice PS Narasimha is conducting the hearing. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who appeared in the court on behalf of Pawan Kheda, said that Pawan Kheda should not be arrested. Cases are registered against Pawan Kheda in Uttar Pradesh's Banaras and Lucknow and Assam, all these should be clubbed together. ASG Aishwarya Bhati gave the video to the court on behalf of the Assam government. He said that look at the seriousness of what has been said against the Prime Minister.

Singhvi said during the hearing, "I believe that what Pawan Kheda said should not have been said. He himself admitted that there was a slip of the tongue. He also apologized. Orders should be given to release him. The court should protect him." De. These serious cases cannot be imposed on any political statement in the country. This is a violation of freedom of expression. The process was not followed during the arrest. The crime Kheda has committed has a maximum punishment of 3 and 5 years.

The CJI said, "We fix all the FIRs in one state so that they can go to the High Court for relief. At this stage. we cannot quash the FIRs." During this, the statement given by the Prime Minister was narrated. On this, the CJI asked how is this a matter of disturbing communal harmony?

Earlier the CJI asked who is this, Pawan Kheda? Singhvi said that he is the spokesperson of the Congress. The CJI has said that he will hear about the matter at 3 o'clock. In fact, Pawan Kheda, the head of the party's media department, who was going to Raipur to participate in the National Convention of the Congress, was taken off the plane going to Raipur on Thursday and later taken into custody by the police. After some time, Delhi Police officials reached the spot and told them that a case had been registered against Kheda in Assam.

Singhvi informed the CJI that Kheda was scheduled to take off from Delhi airport at 11 am but was offloaded from the plane. Complaints have been filed against him in Assam, Lucknow, and Varanasi for some of the comments made by him about the Prime Minister. A case has been registered against Kheda under sections 153A and 153B of the Indian Penal Code. However, he does not personally endorse the controversial statements. But the FIRs of Varanasi, Lucknow, and Assam should be clubbed together.

Delhi Police took Kheda into custody. Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala and some other leaders also accompanied Kheda. Congress sources claim that the Assam Police has registered a case under certain sections of the Indian Penal Code regarding the remarks allegedly made by Kheda in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's father. Earlier, Congress had claimed that Kheda was detained by the Assam Police. A police officer present at the Delhi airport told that a registered case has been registered in Assam.

The Congress has termed Kheda's removal from the plane as a dictatorship. Earlier, when Kheda was offloaded from Indigo flight number 6E 204 from Delhi to Raipur, many Congress leaders came down in protest and sat on a dharna. As the ruckus at Terminal 1 of the domestic airport escalated, the flight staff said that there was some confusion regarding Kheda's bag. He said that the police are coming and will inform Kheda about the situation. Many Congress leaders also raised slogans against the government there.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who was on the flight, said on Twitter, "We are all going to Raipur by Indigo 6E 204 flight and suddenly my colleague Pawan Khera was asked to get off the plane." He said, "What kind of arbitrariness is this? Is there any rule of law or not? On what basis and on whose orders is this being done?" Meanwhile, Indigo officials said that all the passengers will be taken to Raipur by another flight.

(ASHNA)