Terming the arrest of party leader Pawan Khera as "shocking and outrageous", Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said that there is no law in India that people can't make jokes about the Prime Minister.
The Congress leader further said that he is glad that the Supreme Court has granted him bail.
"That was shocking and outrageous. Nothing Pawan (Khera) did or said warranted deplaning, arrest, or detention. Glad SC has given him bail. There is no reason to jail someone for a joke. We don't have a law here that you can't make jokes about the PM," said Mr Tharoor, who reached Raipur to attend the 85th Plenary session of Congress.
Mr Khera was arrested by Assam Police on Thursday in Delhi.
The Dwarka court granted interim bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera following the order passed by the Supreme Court.
Earlier, Supreme Court directed the Dwarka Court to grant interim bail to the Congress leader and issued notice to Assam Police and Uttar Pradesh Police on Khera's plea seeking clubbing of FIRs.
Supreme Court said, "Till the next date of hearing, the petitioner will be released on interim bail by Dwarka court."
Earlier today, Mr Khera said that he is "ready to fight the long battle" soon after Assam Police arrested him in the national capital.
It is pertinent to mention that earlier today Mr Khera was stopped from boarding a plane at Delhi airport after a request was received from the Assam Police to stop him," Delhi Police said on Thursday.
Earlier, the Assam Police registered a case against the Congress leader in the Dima Hasao district.
Congress leaders protested after Mr Khera was stopped by Delhi Police from boarding the plane at the airport.
Delhi Police said that a request was received from Assam Police for assistance in the arrest of accused Mr Khera in case FIR No. 19/2023, PS Dima Hasao, District Haflong, Assam.
"Based upon the same, requisite local assistance was provided and upon the 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," a Delhi Police official told ANI.
"Necessary legal action shall follow," they added.
In a video shared on Congress's Twitter handle, Mr Khera said that he does not know why was he deboarded.
"I don't know. I was told that your baggage has to be checked. I said I do not have any luggage except a handbag. When I came down, I was told that I cannot go, a DCP would come. We are waiting for the DCP for the last 20 minutes. I don't know why I am being stopped," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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