Sivasagar/Guwahati, April 7 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday criticized the Congress for “not verifying” the documents on which it based its allegations against him and his family.
Congress leader Pawan Khera had on Sunday alleged that Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in Sarma's election affidavit.
Sarma also criticized Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming that he was "speaking like a madman" due to old age, after Kharge put the onus on central agencies to investigate the allegations.
Sarma asserted that Khera had "fled" to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will "hunt him down even from the underworld".
"The Assam Police don't know him... they will hunt him down even from the underworld," Sarma asserted.
An Assam Police team had earlier in the day visited Khera's residence in Delhi to question him in connection with the case.
"If they didn't know the truth, why did they put it out in public? They should have first approached the foreign minister," Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign, when asked for his reaction to Kharge's assertion that the Union government should now investigate the allegations.
Kharge, at a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, said that all agencies are under the central government, which should investigate the charges.
"They have already filed an FIR against Khera. Let them investigate the matter. We will face the case as it progresses. We have sought investigations by the ED or CBI into the allegations," he said.
Sarma added: "Kharge is aging and is speaking like a 'pagal' (madman). You insult the people first 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 that is so, the case will then include Gandhi," he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma had claimed that Khera had "fled" to Hyderabad, after daring the state police to arrest him.
"Pawan Khera had dared the Assam Police to arrest him, but he has now fled to Hyderabad," Sarma told
The Assam Police team on Tuesday carried out a search at Khera's residence in Delhi in connection with a case filed by Sarma's wife over his allegations of multiple passports and undeclared assets, officials said.
Assam Police DCP Debojit Nath said that Khera was not found at his residence. However, he said, a search was carried out and electronic devices were seized.
"I don't know why they have gone, as he (Khera) ran away yesterday itself. Till yesterday, Khera was saying arrest me, and now when police reached his home, he ran away," Sarma claimed.
"He had brought false allegations against me," the CM asserted, adding that he will "not spare" the Congress leader.
Khera had on Sunday alleged that Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has passports of the UAE, Egypt and Antigua-Barbuda, two properties in Dubai and assets in shell companies in the US.
These details were not declared in Sarma's election affidavit, the Congress claimed, and approached the Election Commission for disqualifying him.
On Monday, Sarma had alleged that the Congress used "false information" sourced from a Pakistani social media group to level "baseless" and "malicious" allegations against his wife. The BJP leader termed it an attempt to influence the Assam elections and a punishable offence.
The chief minister had also said that his wife has filed a police complaint against Khera.