Supreme Court extends interim bail granted to Congress leader Pawan Khera till Friday

The Supreme Court on Monday extended the interim bail granted to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in relation to a case where he was booked by the Uttar Pradesh and Assam Police for remarks against of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name at a press conference [Pawan Khera vs State of Assam]..A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala asked the States to file their responses in the plea by Friday, while extending interim bail. "List on Friday. Counter to be filed by State of Assam and UP. Ad interim protection granted to extend till next date of hearing," the court ordered. .The Supreme Court had on Thursday granted interim bail to the Congress spokesperson in a plea moved immediately after he was arrested by the Assam Police from the Delhi airport on Thursday."If Narasimha Rao could form a JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee), if Atal Bihari Vajpayee could form a JPC, then what problem does Narendra Gautam Das...sorry Damodardas Modi have?" Khera had said at the press conference. He later appeared to confirm the middle name with a colleague. The BJP has alleged that Khera deliberately flubbed the name..Khera has been booked for offences under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc.) and Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Khera was picked up from the Delhi airport after he had boarded a plane to Chhattisgarh's Raipur where he was headed for a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).He was deplaned and then taken by the Assam Police based on a first information report (FIR) registered against him.He moved the Supreme Court immediately after he was arrested by the Assam Police from the Delhi airport on Thursday.The top court sought the response of the States of Uttar Pradesh and Assam on Khera's prayer to club multiple first information reports (FIRs) registered against him in those States..[Read our live-coverage of the hearing below].[Read order]