The Supreme Court of India has intervened in a defamation case involving Congress leader Pawan Khera, staying the Telangana High Court's order that granted him transit anticipatory bail. The case arose from allegations made by Khera during a press conference on April 4, where he claimed that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, possessed three different passports and suggested that Sarma was involved in illegal activities. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Atul S Chandukar, expressed surprise at the High Court's decision and raised questions about its jurisdiction. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the state of Assam, argued that Khera's application was an example of 'forum-shopping', as he invoked the Telangana High Court's jurisdiction based on his wife's residency in Hyderabad. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Khera, requiring a response by May 13, while clarifying that the stay on the bail order would not negatively impact any future bail applications Khera may file in Assam.