Pawan Khera Arrested By Assam Cops After He Was Deplaned At Delhi Airport

Pawan Khera Arrested: Congress leader Pawan Khera was arrested by Assam Police after he was deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight. According to sources, 15 cases were registered across 15 districts against him.

File Photo of Pawan Khera

New Delhi: The Assam Police on Thursday arrested senior Congress leader Pawan Khera at Delhi airport after he was deplaned from Delhi-Raipur Indigo flight 6E-204.

According to sources, 15 cases were registered across 15 districts of Assam against Pawan Khera. The arrest is in connection with remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's father, the sources said.

"We have requested Delhi police to arrest him (Pawan Khera). We will bring him to Assam after taking permission from a local court," Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan, IGP Law & Order and Spokesperson of Assam police, told news agency ANI.

While leaving the airport, Pawan Khera said: "We will see (in which case they are taking me). It's a long battle and I'm ready to fight."

#WATCH | "We will see (in which case they are taking me). It's a long battle and I'm ready to fight," says Congress leader Pawan Khera as Delhi Police takes him after he was deboarded from an aircraft at Delhi airport pic.twitter.com/cKXeo6kSb4

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2023

In a video, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate cited previous remarks such as "Congress ki vidhva" (Congress's widow) and other insults, she demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be arrested and then action be taken against others.

पवन खेड़ा जी को असम पुलिस गिरफ्तार करके ले जा रही है।

उन्होंने कौन सा ऐसा जुर्म किया है कि उन्हें गिरफ्तार किया गया?

ये तानाशाही नहीं तो और क्या है?

: @SupriyaShrinate जी pic.twitter.com/PqUVYG0QKK

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023

Earlier in the day, the Congress Party began a protest at Delhi airport after Pawan Khera was deplaned from Delhi-Raipur Indigo flight 6E-204. The grand old party criticised the Modi government, alleging a "dictatorial" move ahead of the Congress party's 85th plenary session, scheduled to take place in Raipur from February 24 to 26.

Speaking about the incident, Pawan Khera said, "I was told there is a problem with your luggage, even though I only have one handbag. When came down from the flight, I was told that you cannot go. Then it was said – DCP will meet you. I've been waiting for a long time. There is no trace of rules, laws and reasons."

मुझे कहा गया कि आपके सामान को लेकर कुछ समस्या है, जबकि मेरे पास केवल एक हैंडबैग है।

जब फ्लाइट से नीचे आया तो बताया गया कि आप नहीं जा सकते हैं। फिर कहा गया- आपसे DCP मिलेंगे।

मैं काफी देर से इंतजार कर रहा हूं। नियम, कानून और कारणों का कुछ अता-पता नहीं है।

: @Pawankhera जी pic.twitter.com/637WUlBDpJ

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter and remarked, "First ED raided Raipur, now @Pawankhera has been offloaded from Raipur by Delhi Police. Another name for dictatorship is Amit Shahi. The Modi government wants to disrupt our national convention. We are not afraid, will continue to fight for the countrymen."

पहले ED ने रायपुर में छापामारी की, अब @Pawankhera को दिल्ली पुलिस द्वारा रायपुर के जहाज़ से उतारा गया है। तानाशाही का दूसरा नाम अमितशाही है।

मोदी सरकार हमारे राष्ट्रीय महाअधिवेशन को बाधित करना चाहती है। हम डरने वाले नहीं हैं, देशवासियों के लिए संघर्ष करते रहेंगे। pic.twitter.com/fpb5ni5hfd

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 23, 2023

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the Assam Police directive tweeting, "While going from Delhi to Raipur to attend the Congress session, senior Congress leader Mr. Pawan Khera was taken off the flight by the Assam Police. What was the emergency that the Assam Police came to Delhi and did this act? Earlier ED raids in Raipur and now such act shows BJP's fury. This is condemnable."

We Asked Them To Show Arrest Warrant But They Did Not Show Any Order: Randeep Surjewala 

Senior Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Khera was stopped citing an FIR by Assam Police, "Today we were going for the Congress Plenary Sessoin to Raipur, and our colleague Pawan Khera was told that he left his luggage but he was not carrying any luggage. Then the Police came and said Assam Police has registered an FIR."

"We asked them to show an arrest warrant but they did not show any order. It is completely illegal Assam and Delhi Police have stopped our flight forcefully," he claimed.