Golaghat

Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday intensified his criticism of Congress leader Pawan Khera, accusing him of evading accountability and relying on what he described as “fake” documents to level allegations against his family.

Addressing reporters, Sarma said that the claims made against his wife were based on “duplicate” documents, adding that authorities in multiple states had already indicated that the materials in question were not authentic.

He further alleged that the documents may have been circulated through political channels, hinting at possible involvement of senior Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi.

Responding to remarks by Akhil Gogoi regarding police action at Khera’s residence in Delhi, Sarma dismissed the comments and said the focus of the investigation was on identifying those responsible at a higher level.

The controversy stems from allegations made by Khera, who had claimed that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, possessed multiple passports and held undisclosed foreign assets, including properties in Dubai and a company in the United States.

The Chief Minister and his family have denied the accusations, describing them as fabricated and possibly generated using artificial intelligence, allegedly circulated through hostile online networks.

Meanwhile, Assam Police conducted searches at Khera’s residence in Delhi. Officials confirmed the operation but did not disclose further details. Sarma later claimed that Khera was not present at his residence and had travelled elsewhere.

Amid the ongoing political row, the Chief Minister also expressed confidence in the prospects of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming elections, predicting a strong performance for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.

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Polling in Assam is scheduled for April 9, with counting of votes to take place on May 4.