Assam Police searches Congress leader Pawan Khera’s Delhi residence over Himanta wife passport row
New Delhi: A team of Assam Police on Tuesday conducted searches at the Delhi residence of Congress leader Pawan Khera in connection with a case linked to allegations made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family, police sources said.
Elections are underway in Assam, and the development comes amid a political tussle after Sarma alleged that the Congress used “false information” sourced from a Pakistani social media group to level charges against his wife regarding multiple passports and overseas assets. He termed the allegations an attempt to influence the Assam elections and a punishable offence.
Pawan Khera, the chief of Congress’ Media and Publicity Department, was not at home when the Assam Police arrived. DCP (Crime Branch) Debojit Nath said a case has been registered by Assam Police at Crime Branch Police Station in Guwahati, and the police had been looking for Khera.
Khera’s residence is located at Nizamuddin East. “We searched his house. He (Khera) was not at home. We have found incriminating material, which cannot be disclosed right now.”
The police said Khera’s whereabouts are unknown, but that he “will be traced”. The police have seized electronic devices from Khera’s residence. The Delhi Police assisted the Assam Police while conducting the search.
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What is the case?
The case pertains to the political war of words between Sarma and Khera. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Khera had asked, “A sitting CM’s wife, Rinki Bhuyan Sharma, is not an Indian citizen today. This is an anti-national activity… who keeps three passports… Himanta is planning to run away from this country. CEC Gyanesh Gupta should cancel his candidature.”
Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi took to X, asking: “Does the wife of Himanta Sarma hold a Golden visa for Dubai? Is the Golden visa on an Indian passport? Does any family member of Himanta Biswa Sarma own properties in Dubai? Does any family member of Himanta Biswa Sarma operate a business in a foreign country? Has Himanta Biswa Sarma disclosed his or his family’s wealth and properties abroad in his election affidavit?”
To which, Rinki Bhuyan Sharma, the chief minister’s wife, said: “Neither I, nor my children, nor my husband have any business interests or assets in Dubai or anywhere outside India. Now your turn. Can you disclose whether your wife has or has ever had a bank account in Pakistan? And will you make those details public?”
She said, “Also interesting how, within 24 hours, you’ve already climbed down from your claim of a ‘golden visa on an Egyptian passport’ to now talking about an ‘Indian passport.”
Responding to his allegations, the CM, in a post on X, “categorically rejected” the allegations, calling them “malicious, fabricated, politically motivated and misleading.” Asserting confidence in the judiciary, he had expressed confidence that Khera will “face the consequences of his actions”.
Sarma had said that he would join his wife to file both criminal and civil defamation cases within the next 48 hours against Pawan Khera. “He will be held fully accountable for his reckless and defamatory statements.”
Sarma said that his wife had lodged a First Information Report with the Crime Branch of the Assam Police against Khera and others for claiming she possesses the passports of three countries, including two Islamic nations; owns a luxury property in Dubai; and has investments worth millions in Wyoming, United States.
In a separate detailed post, Sarma noted down several alleged discrepancies in the documents that Khera showed in his press conference, including misspelled surname, no standard biometric image, and anomalies in the UAE ID, Antigua, Barbuda and Egyptian passports, ridiculing them as “digital manipulation”.
He also said that the documents being circulated show multiple glaring inconsistencies, “suggesting a crude and poorly executed attempt at digital manipulation: Surname mismatch — “Sarma” used instead of the official “Sharma”.
“Today’s press conference by Pawan Khera reflects the deep frustration and panic within the Congress party. As Assam moves decisively towards a historic mandate, such desperate and baseless attacks only expose their sinking ground. I categorically reject every allegation made by him. These are malicious, fabricated, and politically motivated lies aimed at misleading the people of Assam,” he wrote.
Political jibes continue
Speaking to reporters in Jorhat, Assam, Sarma said that before levelling an allegation, Khera should have asked the foreign minister. “Kharge ji has aged. Assam Police can find and bring people from ‘pataal’ as well. I suspect Rahul Gandhi has given him these documents. So this case will extend to Rahul Gandhi. Do not try to scare us. This is Assam.”
Meanwhile, the Congress hit back. Senior leader Jairam Ramesh took to X, where he said, “The deployment of a full army of police officials to arrest my colleague Pawan Khera for asking basic questions in the public interest proves that the Assam CM is disturbed, desperate, and rattled.”
“This is not due process but instead a witch hunt, a bully using state machinery to muzzle and silence the voice of the Opposition that is exposing his many black deeds. Those who intimidate are the ones who are afraid and have much to hide.
“It also proves that the CM is facing imminent defeat.”
(Edited By Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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