By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Congress leader Pawan Khera underwent questioning for over 10 hours on May 13 at the Assam Police Crime Branch office in Guwahati in connection with allegations made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
The complaints stem from remarks reportedly made by Khera regarding passports and overseas assets.
Khera reached the Crime Branch office after being directed to join the investigation. The FIRs were lodged after he was accused of claiming that the Chief Minister held multiple passports and had properties outside India that were not declared.
According to sources, Khera was allegedly pressured during questioning to name Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders in connection with the case involving Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. However, there has been no official confirmation of the claim.
After the interrogation, Khera told reporters that he had fully cooperated with the officials and had been instructed to appear again on May 25.
He said he would return for further questioning at 9:30 am the next day and maintained that he was complying with the legal process. Before entering the office earlier in the day, he stated that he had full respect for the legal system and was willing to follow due process.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma later remarked that the legal process would proceed as per law and accused Khera of acting against constitutional norms by approaching foreign authorities against him.
Sarma also said that the investigation would not take much time and that a chargesheet could be filed within the required period. He added that Khera’s cooperation would help speed up the filing of the final report, while delays could occur if he did not cooperate.
Earlier, the Assam Police Crime Branch had booked Khera under several legal sections, including charges related to false statements during elections, forgery, use of forged documents, insulting remarks intended to disturb public peace, and defamation.
The case has already gone through multiple court stages. Khera first received interim anticipatory bail from the Telangana High Court, which was challenged by Assam Police in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court later transferred the case to the Gauhati High Court, which rejected his anticipatory bail plea. Khera subsequently moved the Supreme Court again, which eventually granted him anticipatory bail, observing that the dispute appeared to stem from political differences.