Assam Police arrest Pawan Khera at Delhi airport; 'Is there any rule of law', asks Cong

Assam Police confirmed that a team went to Delhi to take remand of Pawan Khera in connection with a case filed against him at Haflong police station.

Congress leader Pawan Khera arrested by the Assam Police at the airport after being deplaned from a Delhi-Raipur flight in connection with his alleged remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Khera was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary session when he was arrested by the Assam Police.

Khera, against whom a case has been registered in Assam, was asked by the Delhi Police to deplane.

Senior Delhi Police officials later handed over a document from Assam Police seeking their help in the detention of Khera. Speaking to ANI, Assam Police confirmed that a team went to Delhi to take remand of Pawan Khera in connection with a case filed against him at Haflong police station.

"He was detained by the Delhi Police on a request by Assam Police. We were just extending support to them. The arrest has been made by them," a senior Delhi Police officer said.

"A request was received from Assam Police for assistance in arrest of accused Sri Pawan Khera in case FIR No. 19/2023, PS Dima Hasao, District Haflong, Assam. Based upon the same, requisite local assistance was provided and upon requisition of Assam Police, accused Shri Pawan Khera was detained from Terminal 1 of IGI Airport and has been subsequently arrested by the IO concerned of Assam Police. Necessary legal action shall follow," the Delhi Police said in an official statement.

A case has been registered at Haflong police station in Assam against Khera under various sections of the IPC, including 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national interest), 500 (punishment for defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), for his alleged remarks against the prime minister. Khera was earlier asked by the Delhi Police to deplane.

IndiGo says following advice of authorities

Amid a political furore over Congress leader Pawan Khera being deplaned at Delhi airport, IndiGo on Thursday said the passenger was deplaned by the police and it is following the advice of concerned authorities. ''The flight is delayed as of now and we regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers,'' the carrier said in a statement.

''A passenger was deplaned by the police at the Delhi airport from Raipur-bound flight 6E 204. Some other passengers have also decided to deboard on their own accord,'' it added.

Congress leaders sat on dharna

Congress leaders sat on dharna at the tarmac in protest and did not allow him to be taken away without an arrest warrant, as reported by PTI.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala accompanied Khera to a police station at the airport where there was a huge deployment of CISF.

A case has been registered at Haflong police station in Assam against Khera under various sections of the IPC for his alleged remarks against the prime minister.

Earlier several party leaders got off the plane after Khera was deboarded and staged a dharna on the tarmac. Khera was on his way to Raipur for the Congress plenary.

As drama escalated at terminal one of the domestic airport here, flight staff told Congress leaders there was confusion with Khera's bags. They said police was on its way and would explain the reason to him.

"We are all on the @IndiGo6E flight 6E 204 to Raipur and all of a sudden my colleague @Pawankhera has been asked to deplane," Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who was also on the flight, said on Twitter. "What sort of high handedness is this? Is there any rule of law? On what grounds is this being done and under whose order?" she said.The flight was delayed.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "The police had no warrant, no FIR. They said everything was being done on the instruction of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Is Himanta Biswa Sarma god?"