New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of Congress leader Pawan Khera, who was arrested by the Assam police after deplaning him from an IndiGo flight earlier today, on an interim bail till February 28.

The apex court said the interim bail shall be granted by Dwarka court. The top court also sought response from Assam and Uttar Pradesh governments on clubbing of multiple FIRs against Khera over his alleged remarks against the Prime Minister Narendar Modi.

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

“The above order will remain operational till Tuesday (February 28),” a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said.

Congress leader AM Singhvi appeared on behalf of arrested party colleague Pawan Khera in the court. He told the court that it was ‘a slip of tongue’ and Khera has apologised for it. Singhvi was referring to the remark against PM Modi over which BJP demanded his arrest.

Earlier in the day, Pawan Khera was deplaned from a Raipur-bound flight IndiGo 6E 204 at the Delhi airport and arrested for his alleged remarks against the Prime Minister.

After the arrest, dozens of Congress leaders staged a protest on the tarmac and attempted to halt the IndiGo flight from taking off. Pawan Khera and other Congress leaders had boarded the IndiGo flight to Raipur for a meeting of AICC in Chhattisgarh’s capital city. Moments later, Assam police arrested Pawan Khera after forcing him to exit the passenger’s flight. Subsequently, the Congress party moved the Supreme Court seeking protection from arrest and clubbing of multiple FIRs registered against Khera.

पहले छत्तीसगढ़ में नेताओं के यहां ED को भेजा गया।

अब, कांग्रेस अधिवेशन में भाग लेने जा रहे @Pawankhera जी को फ्लाइट में चढ़ने से रोक दिया गया।

ये तानाशाही कतई बर्दाश्त नहीं की जाएगी... हम लड़ेंगे और जीतेंगे। pic.twitter.com/jGOnU1860G
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 23, 2023