Congress leader Pawan Khera accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of intimidating him rather than not addressing the opposition party’s questions on multiple passports and foreign investments linked to his wife.
In a recorded video from an undisclosed location, Khera said, "Our party had only asked you some questions. Why do you want to silence us? We have asked questions; give us the replies."
He added, "Instead of replying, you are hurling abuses at everyone, you have put the police behind me. I am not afraid of them. But I am avoiding them as I have more questions to ask."
Khera reiterated questions regarding a purported company registered in the US state of Wyoming in the name of Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, claiming that the official company website lists a London address as primary and two other addresses in Dubai and Dhaka.
He said the London address is also linked with ‘Bhuyan Properties Ltd’, according to UK government records.
Referring to his previous charge of Bhuyan Sarma possessing passports of Egypt and Antigua and Barbuda, and the golden visa of the UAE, Khera asked, "Did you or your agent or one of your family members use fake KYC documents to open these shell companies, buy properties?"
"It can be known only through investigation. You are in government, and you should probe these rather than trying to intimidate us," Khera added.
Khera had brought the accusations against Bhuyan Sarma of possessing multiple passports and properties in foreign countries on April 5, which have been dismissed by the CM and his wife as false.
Bhuyan Sarma has also registered a police complaint here, based on which an Assam Police team had gone to Khera’s New Delhi residence on Tuesday for questioning, but could not find him.
The Congress leader’s charges surfaced ahead of the Assam Assembly elections scheduled for Thursday.
(With inputs from PTI)
