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Assam CM Himanta issues ‘life imprisonment’ warning to Cong's Khera over claims on wife's ‘three passports’
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday alleged Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan holds three passports – of UAE, Antigua-Barbuda and Egypt.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that his wife has got an FIR filed over allegations by Congress leader Pawan Khera that she holds three of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Antigua-Barbuda and Egypt.
Sarma accused the Congress of using fabricated documents to influence outcome of the upcoming state elections and warned of “life imprisonment” for the same.
“When you use these allegations with fabricated documents to influence a result or outcome of an election, then it attracts higher penalty provisions, and the punishment for that is life imprisonment,” Sarma said, addressing a press conference on Monday.
Khera had also alleged Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan has undisclosed business interests abroad. He also alleged the existence of properties in Dubai and companies in the United States linked to the Chief Minister's family.
Responding to these claims earlier, Sarma had categorically denied the allegations, stating that one of the passports cited was "fake" and flagged discrepancies in the documents. He said confirmations from Dubai authorities and the Indian government indicated that the passport in question was not genuine.
What Congress alleged
Pawn Khera alleged at a press conference in New Delhi that Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan holds three passports of the UAE, Antigua-Barbuda and Egypt, which expire on March 2027, August 2031 and February 2029, respectively.
Responding to the charges made by Khera against the CM's spouse Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said in another press conference that holding multiple passports and failure to disclose properties is a grave and criminal offence.
The chairman of AICC's media publicity and communication also alleged that Sarma's wife has ''two properties in Dubai which clearly mention Riniki Bhuyan Sarma as the property owner'' but neither is mentioned in the CM's affidavits submitted to the ECI along with his nomination paper.
FIR filed, life imprisonment warning issued
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Yesterday, Pawan Khera and Gaurav Gogoi did two press conferences, one in Delhi, one in Guwahati...During our research, we found that the entire material of the press conference, which took place yesterday, was supplied by a Pakistani social media group.”
In the last 10 days, Pakistan channel has done at least 11 talk shows regarding the election in Assam, which never happened earlier, Sarma said.
"And in every talk show, the conclusion is that Congress should win. Pakistan's link to yesterday's press conference has also now become very, very apparent. I am sure that this will be taken into consideration by the law enforcement agency," he said.
"...Normally, when you raise a certain issue before the public with fraudulent documents, it attracts 420 and 468 of the IPC. Of course, there is a correspondence provision in new BNS. When you use these allegations with fabricated documents to influence a result or outcome of an election, then it attracts higher penalty provisions, and the punishment for that is life imprisonment. Yesterday, my wife filed an FIR, and I am sure that the police will register the case in the appropriate section of law and take necessary action," he added.
The assam chief minister said the original UAE passport — which Pawan Khera showed as Riniki Bhuyan's — was uploaded on social media by a Pakistani man. "They (Congress) did AI Photoshop in the passport. Tipu Sultan had uploaded the original passport on social media. The Egyptian passport is also fake. You can find out through Google Reverse," Sarma said.
Sarma said taking help from Pakistan to defame him is “a crime against the nation”, adding that the Congress may be trying to remove Pawan Khera and has given him fake documents to present.
