New Delhi: The Delhi Police and Assam Police on Tuesday carried out a surprise search at the residence of Congress leader Pawan Khera, escalating a political row just days ahead of the Assam Assembly Elections 2026.

The development comes amid a fierce war of words between the Congress and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma over allegations related to overseas assets and documents.

Riniki Bhuyan Sharma on Monday confirmed filing an FIR over the allegations and demanded strict action. “I have taken legal action. I have lodged an FIR against them. I urge our Assam police to get in touch with the MEA so that everything can be proved... This is not to be entertained in a very lenient manner. Let justice prevail,” she said.

She alleged that Congress was acting out of frustration. “I think it is directly a counter against Chief Minister HB Sarma because the kind of wave that Assam is having for the BJP and the Congress is nowhere surfacing anywhere,” she said.

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Sharpening her attack, she accused the opposition of running a smear campaign using fabricated material. “It seems that a mad dog has bitten them, and from the top rung of the Congress to the lowest rung, I believe that they don't have anything else to do except defaming people, that too with AI-generated and total photoshop. One more thing which they have done well is set up a playbook... It is an example set to the entire Assamese society by a very veteran party, which is very shameful,” she said.

“I think they have gone berserk... For the last two years, they have been doing every little thing to defame me, my daughter, my son, we are nowhere related to politics,” she added.

Rejecting the allegations on passports and foreign assets, she said, “The kind of allegations they are making. If we check with the Indian Passport Act, it says what kind of foolish things they have done. India doesn't allow any dual citizenship, and they are talking about three passports, and according to them, I'm supposed to be an Egyptian national, and they are talking about the golden visa... It is like a mad dog running anywhere.”

“They have given a room number in a hotel in Dubai. What kind of property is that? If I had a property, I would buy a house, but I don't own a hotel room. This is the kind of stupidity that they have done. If they have done such a forging, they should have done their homework... It is like a cow climbing a tree,” she added.

The allegations were first raised by Pawan Khera, who claimed that Sarma’s wife held multiple passports and owned properties abroad. He also questioned whether such assets were disclosed in election filings.

Responding, Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed the claims as fabricated.