Congress leader Pawan Khera was granted bail on Wednesday by a court in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow in the ‘Narendra Gautam Das Modi’ remark case. The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Lucknow directed the release of Khera on bail after he appeared before the court and submitted a surrender application, following which he was taken into judicial custody, as per a report by Live Law. In February this year, Khera apparently fumbled while taking the name of PM Modi’s late father during a press conference.
He was however arrested by Assam Police on February 23 at Delhi airport after an FIR was registered against him at Haflong police station in Assam’s Dima Hasao district by a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader.
The Congress leader was granted interim bail the same day by the Supreme Court. In March, the apex court clubbed the FIRs against Khera registered in Varanasi and Assam and transferred them to Lucknow’s Hazratganj Police Station.
Appearing for Khera, Sudhanshu Shekhar Tiwari and Praveen Kumar Yadav argued before the Court that he was completely innocent, and has been falsely implicated in the case, according to Live Law.
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They also contended that Khera does not have a criminal history and that if he would be granted bail, he will not misuse the same.
After hearing the counsel and taking into account February order by the apex court granting him interim bail, the court directed that Khera be released on bail on filing a personal bond of Rupees 25,000 and two sureties of the same amount.
Khera has been booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 153-A,153-B(1)/500/504/505(1)(b)/505(2).
After his arrest by the Assam Police, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Khera had tendered an unconditional apology, adding that however, the police would take the case to its “logical end”.