Sivasagar/Guwahati, April 7 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday criticized the Congress for "failing to verify" 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, possesses multiple passports and foreign properties, which were not declared in Sarma's election affidavit.
Sarma also criticized Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming that he was "acting irrationally" due to his age, after Kharge placed the onus on central agencies to investigate the charges.
Sarma asserted that Khera had "gone to Hyderabad," but the Assam Police will "track him down, even from the underworld."
"They don't know the Assam Police... they will hunt him down even from the underworld," Sarma stated.
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 make it 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 investigate the allegations now.
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 ageing and is speaking like a 'pagal' (madman). You first insult the people and then say you will ask the foreign minister (for verification)? Is he your 'damad' (son-in-law)," the chief minister said.
"I think Rahul Gandhi had given these documents to Khera, and if that is so, the case will then include Gandhi," he added.
