'Will Catch Him from Pataal': Himanta Warns Khera Over Passport Row
Sivasagar, Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized the Congress for “failing to verify” the documents on which the allegations against him and his family are based.
Congress leader Pawan Khera had alleged that Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma has multiple passports and foreign properties and these were not mentioned in the Prime Minister’s election manifesto.
The CM claimed that Khera had “escaped” to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police “will catch him even from the ‘pataal’ (other world)”.
“‘Assam Police ko nahi jante hain.. Pataal se bhi ukhar ke le ayega’ (They don’t know Assam Police… they will catch him even from hell),” Sarma alleged.
An Assam Police team had visited Khera’s residence in Delhi earlier in the day to question him about the incident.
Sarma also lashed out at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge after he alleged that he was “talking like crazy” due to old age and put the onus on central agencies to investigate the charges.
“If they didn’t know the truth, why did they make it public? They should have asked the external affairs minister first,” Sarma told reporters during an election campaign when asked for his reaction to Kharge’s claim that the Union government should immediately investigate the allegations.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, Kharge said that all institutions are under the Central government and the central government should investigate the accusations.
“They have already lodged an FIR against Khera. Let them investigate the matter. We will face litigation as the case progresses. We have initiated investigation by ED or CBI into the allegations,” he said.
Sarma added: “Kharge is getting old and talking like a ‘pagal’ (mad). First you insult the public and then say you will ask the foreign minister (for verification)? Is he your ‘damad’ (son-in-law)?”
“I think Rahul Gandhi had given these documents to Khera and if so, Gandhi too will be involved in the case,” he added.
Assam Police DCP Debojit Nath said Khera was not found at his residence in Delhi. However, he said that a search was carried out and electronic devices were seized.
“I don’t know why they went as Khera ran away yesterday. Until yesterday, Khera was saying arrest me and now when the police reached his house, he ran away,” Sarma said.
