Assam Police have filed a case against Congress leader Pawan Khera, accusing him of forgery, defamation, and criminal conspiracy related to statements made about Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s family. The case, based on a complaint by the Chief Minister’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, alleges that Khera made false claims during press conferences in New Delhi and Guwahati on April 5. The FIR includes charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, such as forgery, defamation, criminal conspiracy, and acts that could disrupt public peace.
The complaint asserts that Khera presented visual materials and shared content on social media implying that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma held citizenship or passports from multiple countries and possessed a “Golden Card” from the UAE. It was also alleged that she had undisclosed foreign assets and connections to a US-based company. Riniki Bhuyan Sharma has refuted these allegations, calling them baseless and malicious, and claimed that the documents shown during the press conferences were forged with fake seals and QR codes resembling official records. The FIR highlights the widespread circulation of these claims on digital platforms, leading to public backlash, online harassment, and harm to the reputation of Riniki Bhuyan Sharma and her family.
The investigation into the matter has been entrusted to senior officers who will scrutinize both digital and physical evidence. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mentioned that Assam Police visited Khera’s residence for the investigation but found him missing. Sarma alleged that Khera might have fled to Hyderabad to avoid questioning, stating, “He has probably run away to Hyderabad.”
