The Assam Police’s Crime Branch on Tuesday (April 7) searched the New Delhi residence of Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in connection with a case registered in Guwahati. However, Khera was not found at the premises and is currently untraceable, officials said.
The case relates to allegations made by Khera against Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, over alleged foreign passports and overseas assets. Police have termed the claims “false and defamatory”.
FIR registered
An FIR (No. 04/2026) has been registered at Panbazar Police Station under sections of 175, 3(5), 3(6), 318, 336(4), 337, 338, 340, 341(1), 351(1), 352, 353, 356, and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), invoking a range of charges against Khera and others accused of creating and circulating the material.
Also read: Pawan Khera row: ‘Assam Police search is fraud being played on public’ | Capital Beat
Assam Police’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Debajit Nath said a team conducted the search in Delhi but did not find Khera. “We are trying to locate him. He was not present at his residence. Some documents have been seized, but details cannot be shared at this stage,” he said, adding that efforts are ongoing to trace him.
Riniki’s complaint
The complaint was filed by Riniki, who alleged that Khera, along with others, conspired to create and circulate defamatory content across print, digital and social media platforms. She also accused them of amplifying the allegations during press briefings and public interactions.
Also Read: Assam CM Himanta Sarma declares assets worth Rs 35 cr, double that in 2021
The development comes amid a political tussle after Himanta 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.
Khera had recently sought clarifications on Himanta’s wife’s alleged foreign assets, prompting a complaint and subsequent police action.
Earlier, Himanta vowed “stringent action” against Khera while claiming that the NDA would win 100 seats in Assam in the upcoming Assembly elections.
“I will take stringent action against Congress leader Pawan Khera, just wait for some days. We will win at least 100 seats in the elections,” said Sarma.
‘Khera fled to Hyderabad’: CM Sarma
Later in the day, the Chief Minister said that he had come to know from the media that Khera “ran away” to Hyderabad from New Delhi following the search operation.
“He ran away from Guwahati yesterday. I have come to know through the media that the police have gone to his residence in Delhi, but he has run away to Hyderabad. The law will take its own course,” Himanta told YEARS.
Documents row escalates
The Chief Minister further alleged that the property documents displayed by the Congress to link his family to apartments in Dubai were stolen from the document-sharing platform Scribd.
Also Read: Himanta Biswa Sarma alleges Pak link to Congress press briefings ahead of Assam polls
Himanta further stated that the Congress was “finished” in Assam while reiterating his allegations of Pakistani links in the ongoing passport row involving party leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Khera over claims connected to his wife, Riniki.
‘Congress finished’ claim
“Congress is finished in Assam. Just look at the ‘Satta Bazar’ rate yesterday. After making this allegation, the seats for NDA went up to 99. In the morning, it was 94 for NDA. By night, it became 99. Just an indication, today there will be more people in my meeting. Congress had trapped VP Singh’s son in the same way,” Himanta said.
Also Read: Congress accuses Assam CM’s wife of holding multiple foreign passports: What rules say
He also questioned Gogoi and Khera over alleged foreign links tied to the controversy. “Why did you take help from a Pakistani social media group? So whatever has been said about us, we will go to court, everything, but my allegation is why is Pakistan helping Gaurav Gogoi,” he said.
FIR and response
A day earlier, Rinikisaid she had filed an FIR in response to the allegations levelled by the Congress, accusing the opposition of acting out of frustration and attempting to “set up a playbook”.
Also Read: Cong alleges hidden assets, passports of Himanta’s wife; he threatens legal action
She further stated that the claims could not be taken in “a lenient manner” and added that “let justice prevail”. The allegations were raised by Khera at a press conference on Sunday.
Assam is set to vote in its Assembly elections on April 9, with campaigning scheduled to conclude later in the day and counting slated for May 4.
Congress slams Sarma
Lashing out at Himanta over the incident, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dubbed him as “disturbed, desperate, and rattled”.
“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,” stated Ramesh in a post on X.
Probe underway
Police said the investigation is underway, with a focus on tracing Khera and examining the documents seized during the search.
Reacting to the development, former Assam Director General of Police Harekrishna Deka said police are empowered to act on any FIR. However, he underlined that the burden now lies with the accused. “Once such claims are made, it is for the person concerned to back them with evidence,” he added.
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