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Synopsis

A Lucknow Court has recently rejected the discharge application moved by Congress leader Pawan Khera in the criminal case over his alleged defamatory statements made at a Press Conference against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The order of the local court came a day after the Supreme Court dismissed the Congress leader’s plea to quash FIRs registered against him.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Hrishikesh Pandey stated in the order passed on January 5 that there were sufficient grounds to start Khera’s trial for the offences alleged against him.

Court, accordingly, posted the matter on January 16, 2024 for framing of charges against the Congress leader.

During a press conference in Mumbai in February last year demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee into Adani 'stock manipulation' issue, the congress leader reportedly uttered Prime Minister Modi's full name as 'Gautam Das' instead of 'Damodar Das'. Against Khera's such remark, multiple FIRs were lodged against him in Assam and Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow and Varanasi alleging that he had deliberately ridiculed the late father of the Prime Minister of India.

Khera, after his arrest by the Assam Police at Delhi airport on February 23, 2023, moved the Supreme Court the same day, and the Top Court directed the Delhi Court to grant interim bail to the Congress leader.

Subsequently, on February 27, 2023 the Supreme Court extended the interim protection granted to Khera which came to be further extended later.

On March 20, 2023, the Supreme Court clubbed all FIRs filed against Khera to Hazratganj police station at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and directed to treat the Lucknow FIR as leading matter.

Subsequently, Khera filed a plea before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court to quash and stay proceedings in the three FIRs lodged at Lucknow, Varanasi, and Dima Hasao (Assam).

The high court dismissed Khera’s plea on August 17, 2023.

Case Title: State v. Pawan Khera