Pawan Khera
Indian politician (born 1968)
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Pawan Khera (born 31 July 1968) is an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress party. He served as the political secretary to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. He is currently the chairman of the media and publicity wing of the Indian National Congress party.[3]
Pawan Khera | |
|---|---|
| Chairman All India Congress Committee Media and Publicity Department | |
| Assumed office 18 June 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 July 1968 (age 57) Delhi, India |
| Party | Indian National Congress[1][2] |
| Spouse | Kota Neelima |
| Occupation |
|
Pawan Khera was appointed as a member of the Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE), formed by the Indian National Congress on 2 February 2025 to monitor the conduct of free and fair elections by the Election Commission.[4][5]
Khera has been nominated along with 06 others in the list for Rajya Sabha bye-elections in June 2026. [6][7]
Political career
Dispute over Himanta Biswa Sarma allegations
On 5 April 2026, in the midst of 2026 Assembly Elections, Pawan Khera made allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, including that his wife held multiple passports, foreign properties, and a foreign company listed in the United States.[citation needed] Kheda alleged Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, held three passports additional to an Indian passport, including the United Arab Emirates, Antigua and Barbuda, and Egypt. She was also accused of owning two properties in Dubai and having Rs. 52,000 crores worth of assets in a firm registered in the state of Wyoming.
Both Biswa Sarma and Riniki Bhuyan immediately reacted by rejecting these allegations as “malicious, fabricated and politically motivated”.[10][11][12]
This was followed by Himanta's wife getting an FIR registered against Pawan Khera at Crime Branch of Panbazar Police Station in Guwahati.[13][14]
Khera initially approached the Telangana High Court, which on April 10 2026 granted him one week's transit anticipatory bail to enable him to seek regular relief before the competent court in Assam. On April 15, the Supreme Court of India stayed the operation of the transit anticipatory bail. Following this, Khera moved the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The High Court rejected the plea, holding that custodial interrogation was necessary to ascertain the source of the documents relied upon by Khera. Later The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to Khera.[15]
Later in May 2026, Pawan Khera was questioned by Assam Crime Branch for long hours continuously for two days, while he has been called for questioning the third time, and other Congress leaders like Randeep Surjewala have also been called for questioning. [16] [17] [18] [19]