Guwahati, May 13 Referring to the appearance of Congress leader Pawan Khera before the Assam Police Crime Branch on Wednesday following a Supreme Court order, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the investigation would be completed within the stipulated time if full cooperation continues.
“As per the Supreme Court order, today he appeared before the investigation team. The police will definitely ask questions. We will try to file the charge sheet within the stipulated time,” Sarma told reporters here.
He said the pace of the investigation would depend on the level of cooperation Khera extended during the proceedings.
“If he continues to cooperate, submission of the charge sheet or submission of the final charge sheet will be much faster. But if he does not cooperate, then it might take time. However, we want to conclude that case as soon as possible,” the Chief Minister added.
The Chief Minister claimed that the documents presented by Congress leader Pawan Khera ahead of the Assembly elections regarding his wife were found to be “fake” following verification by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Sarma further stated that investigators are likely to question Khera regarding the alleged circulation and presentation of “fake documents” during the election period.
“So, of course, the police will be asking questions regarding the presentation of fake documents,” he added.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the investigation is proceeding in accordance with legal procedures and maintained that the state government intends to conclude the matter at the earliest.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Wednesday appeared before the Crime Branch in Guwahati in connection with a case filed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
Khera arrived at the Crime Branch office during the day and cooperated with the investigation.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted anticipatory bail to Khera in the matter, providing him protection from arrest while directing him to cooperate with the investigation process.
Speaking briefly to mediapersons outside the Crime Branch office, Khera said he has faith in the judiciary and would abide by the law.
The case stems from a complaint lodged by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station.
The complaint was filed over Khera’s public allegations that she possessed multiple foreign passports and had financial interests abroad.
The First Information Report invokes several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to false statements in connection with elections, cheating, forgery of valuable security documents, forgery of public records, using forged documents as genuine, intentional insult, and defamation.
Khera had initially approached the Telangana High Court, which granted him one week’s transit anticipatory bail on April 10 to seek regular relief before the competent court in Assam.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the transit anticipatory bail and clarified that any plea filed before the competent court in Assam would be considered independently.
It later declined Khera’s request to vacate the stay or extend interim protection.
Khera then moved the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail.
The High Court rejected the plea, observing that the matter was not one of simple defamation and that custodial interrogation was necessary to ascertain the source of the documents cited by him.
--IANS
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