The Congress on Monday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking the cancellation of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's candidature, alleging non-disclosure of his wife's alleged offshore assets in his election affidavit.
The move follows allegations raised a day earlier by the Congress regarding possible ownership of properties in Dubai, links to companies in Wyoming in the United States, and the routing of assets through shell firms by the Chief Minister's family.
The representation was submitted to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar by Bidisha Neog, CM Sarma's rival candidate from Jalukbari. The Congress leader also called for a probe into the alleged omission of information related to foreign assets.
In her complaint, Neog alleged, "The said affidavit does not disclose any offshore or foreign assets despite explicit statutory instructions in Form 26. Documentary evidence from the Dubai Land Department establishes that Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the spouse of the candidate, is the owner/beneficial holder of two valuable properties in Al Barsha South Fourth, Dubai, UAE."
She cited two properties reportedly linked to Sarma's wife, claiming that the "deliberate non-disclosure" breaches mandatory disclosure norms and could render the nomination invalid.
"An immediate inquiry be conducted into the suppression of offshore assets, the nomination of Himanta Biswa Sarma be rejected in accordance with Section 36 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and appropriate proceedings under Section 125A be initiated," the Congress candidate demanded.
Separately, the Congress has also moved the Enforcement Directorate, urging it to register a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, over alleged undisclosed assets in Dubai and Wyoming linked to Assam chief minister's wife.
Meanwhile, a day after Congress leader Pawan Khera had alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma possessed passports from the UAE, Egypt and Antigua & Barbuda and owned two properties in Dubai while holding assets through shell companies, CM Sarma on Monday dismissed the claims as fabricated and alleged that they were based on misinformation circulated by a Pakistani social media group.
Speaking at a press conference, Sarma said the accusations were completely false and they were part of an attempt to influence the outcome of the upcoming Assam assembly elections.