'Gautamdas' Remark For PM: SC Extends Pawan Khera's Interim Bail Till March 3

The Supreme Court will hear the plea of Pawan Khera against lodging of FIRs on March 3.

Congress Leader Pawan Khera.

Source : PTI

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail granted to Congress politician Pawan Khera in a case involving his alleged offensive statements against Prime Minister Narendra Modi till March 3, news agency PTI reported.

Khera was arrested in the case by the Assam Police last week.

Remarks against PM: SC to hear plea of Pawan Khera against lodging of FIRs on March 3

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 27, 2023

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's remarks on behalf of Assam that the state police wished to file a reply.

Additional Advocate General Garima Prasad, who is representing Uttar Pradesh, has also stated that she will file a response on the case.

The bench took notice of the submissions and scheduled a hearing for Khera's petition on March 3, stating that the interim bail granted to him on February 23 will stay in effect until then.

Khera was apprehended at the Delhi airport after being deplaned from a trip to Raipur for allegedly making anti-Modi statements at a press conference in Mumbai on February 17.

A Magisterial court later granted him bail.

Why Was Pawan Khera Arrested? 

Khera referred to the prime minister as 'Narendra Gautamdas Modi' during a news conference in Mumbai on February 17. After speaking with a coworker, he appeared to rectify himself.

#WATCH | Congress leader Pawan Khera was seen in a video insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name and his father (17.02) pic.twitter.com/24LEjqcD1c

— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2023

The news conference was held to highlight the Congress' calls for a legislative investigation into claims made against the Adani Group by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research.

The comment sparked outrage among BJP officials, who believed it was an insult to Modi. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, called Khera a "courtier" and claimed his words revealed a Congress "full of entitlement and scorn..."

(With Inputs From Agencies)