Guwahati: The Crime Branch of Guwahati City Police on Tuesday conducted a search at the New Delhi residence of AICC media chairperson and spokesperson Pavan Khera in connection with a criminal case registered in Guwahati. Khera, however, was not found at his residence and remains untraceable, officials said.
The case arises from allegations made by Khera concerning purported foreign passports and overseas assets of Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. Police have described the statements as “false and defamatory”.
An FIR (No. 04/2026) has been registered at Panbazar Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — including Sections 175, 3(5), 3(6), 318, 336(4), 337, 338, 340, 341(1), 351(1), 352, 353, 356 and 61(2) — against Khera and others allegedly involved in creating, circulating and amplifying the material.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime branch Dr Debajit Nath said a Crime Branch team carried out the search in Delhi but could not locate Khera. “We are trying to trace him. He was not present at his residence. Some documents have been seized during the search, but details cannot be disclosed at this stage,” he said.
The complaint was lodged by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, who alleged that Khera, along with others, acted in concert to create, forge and circulate defamatory content across print, digital and social media platforms. She also named individuals who allegedly helped amplify the claims during media briefings and public engagements.
The controversy centres around two press conferences addressed by Khera on April 5 — one at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi and another later in the evening at a hotel in Guwahati. During these interactions, he made a series of allegations relating to alleged foreign citizenship documents and undisclosed overseas investments linked to Sarma.
According to the complaint, the press conferences were not isolated remarks but part of a coordinated exercise, supported by promotional material and stage visuals designed to attract attention and create a sensational narrative. The content was subsequently circulated widely across media platforms, leading to rapid public dissemination.
In his statements, Khera claimed that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed multiple foreign passports or similar documents linked to countries such as the UAE, Egypt and Antigua and Barbuda. He also alleged that the family owned overseas properties, including residential assets in Dubai, and had links to business interests abroad in the hospitality sector.
Khera further alleged that these assets were not disclosed in the election affidavit submitted ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections. He had stated that the Congress would approach the Election Commission of India seeking action, including the possible disqualification of the Chief Minister as a candidate, and would raise the issue before the public.
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In her complaint, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma strongly denied the allegations, calling them “baseless, fabricated and malicious”. She alleged that the documents cited by Khera were forged and deliberately made to appear authentic, complete with fake seals, codes and QR features to mislead the public.
“The law does not protect a campaign of personal vilification under the guise of political speech, particularly when false statements based on fabricated documents are knowingly circulated to damage reputation during an election period,” the complaint stated.
She further alleged that the actions pointed to a “premeditated criminal conspiracy” aimed at influencing public perception and causing reputational harm.
Police said the investigation is ongoing, with efforts focused on tracing Khera and examining the documents seized during the search.
