New Delhi, May 3 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh heaped praise on party colleague Abhishek Singhvi on Sunday for his efforts in securing anticipatory bail for AICC media and publicity department head Pawan Khera in a defamation case.
Ramesh, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge communications, made the remarks at a function at the Indira Bhawan here that was attended by the party’s Legal and Media Department office-bearers to “welcome Khera back”.
Ramesh said he was “bitten by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s acronym bug” and could not resist one to describe Singhvi.
“S stands for Scholarly, I for Incisive, N for Nifty, G for Gifted, H for Hardworking, V for Vakil and I for Indeed,” he said.
Besides Ramesh, the event at the Indira Bhawan was addressed by Singhvi, Khera and Salman Khurshid.
Ramesh asserted in his remarks that the flame of justice is still alive.
The function came days after the Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to Khera in a case related to making allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, saying the matter appears to have stemmed from political rivalry.
A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and A S Chandurkar, in its order uploaded on the apex court’s website on Friday, granted the pre-arrest bail to Khera subject to certain conditions. The court had on Thursday reserved its verdict in the matter.
Khera has alleged that Sarma’s wife possesses multiple passports and undisclosed properties abroad.
“The right to personal liberty is a cherished fundamental right and any deprivation thereof must be justified on a higher threshold, particularly where the surrounding circumstances may indicate the presence of political overtones,” the court said.
“The appellant (Khera) is directed to be released on anticipatory bail in the event of his arrest in the crime branch police station and on such reasonable terms and conditions which may be put by the investigating officer as deemed fit,” it added.
The court said it is of the opinion that while adjudicating an application for anticipatory bail, a careful balance must be struck between the State’s interest in ensuring a fair investigation and the individual’s fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The bench directed Khera to cooperate in the investigation and appear at the police station as and when required and intimated that he shall not tamper with evidence during the pendency of the investigation or the trial in the case.
The Congress on Friday hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant anticipatory bail to Khera in the case, saying the law stands above all, and urged the Assam chief minister to seriously reflect on his “deeply-inappropriate” statements that lowered the standards of democracy. PTI ASK RC
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