Pawan Khera | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of All India Congress Committee Media and Publicity | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Template:Birth date and age text Delhi, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress[1][2] |
| Occupation |
|
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 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]
Political career[edit | edit source]
He worked as a social activist before joining as political secretary to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. [6][7]
Dispute over Himanta Biswa Sarma allegations[edit | edit source]
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”. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
This was followed by Himanta's wife getting an FIR registered against Pawan Khera at Crime Branch of Panbazar Police Station in Guwahati. [15][16][17][18][19]
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. [20] [21][22][23][24]
Personal Life[edit | edit source]
Pawan Khera is married to Indian writer and politician Kota Neelima. [25][26]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Congress appoints Pawan Khera as chairman of media and publicity". NIndia Today. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Pawan Khera: The backroom boy who embraced limelight as voice of Congress". Indian express. Retrieved 2019-09-21.
- ↑ "Pawan Khera KEY FACTS". Hamari Web. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Congress forms panel to monitor 'conduct of free and fair elections". The Hindu. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Press Releases regarding appointment of Shri Pawan Khera as AICC Observer". Indian National Congress. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Court acquits CM in defamation case filed by Dikshit's former aide". The Hindu. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "शीला के पीएस, प्रणव मुखर्जी के दूत; कांग्रेस में कैसे पावरफुल होते गए पवन खेड़ा?". ABP News. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "Congress alleges Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife holds 3 passports, including 2 from Muslim countries; Assam CM reacts". The Statesman. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Congress alleges foreign passports for CM's wife; Sarma warns of legal action". Assam Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Assam Elections 2026: Congress takes on CM's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma over triple citizenship, foreign assets". Noth East Now. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "52,000 crore allegation rocks Assam polls, Himanta Biswa Sarma warns of legal action". Hub News. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Politically motivated lies". Times of India. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Himanta Sarma's Wife Holds Multi-Citizenship, Undisclosed Dubai Assets, Says Congress; Assam CM Rejects Allegations". ETV Bharat. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "'Malicious, fabricated lies': Himanta Biswa Sarma rejects Pawan Khera's 'passport' claims, to file defamation cases". India Today NE. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Assam CM's Wife Riniki Sarma Files Complaint Against Pawan Khera Over 'False And AI-Generated' Allegations". ETV Bharat. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ "UAE Golden visa, Dubai properties and LLM rock Assam politics – Himanta Sarma invokes St Kitts case to counter Cong". Financial Express. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ "Himanta Biswa Sarma, his wife continue to counter Congress over its allegations; FIR lodged with Assam Police". ANI. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ↑ "Himanta Sarma's wife files FIR against Congress over allegations". Asia Net. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ "Assam: CM Sarma cites 'Pakistan link' behind Congress' allegations against wife; FIR filed". India TV. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ "'Supreme Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Pawan Khera In Assam Police FIR". Live Law. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in Assam Police FIR". BarandBench. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Assam CM's wife defamation case: Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Pawan Khera". Legaleagle. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Supreme Court grants pre-arrest bail to Pawan Khera in Assam case". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in forgery & defamation case". All India Radio. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Defamatory rant: Pawan Khera's wife denies Congress foreign funding nexus claim". India Today. Retrieved 2026-04-30.
- ↑ "In Fresh Attack, BJP Accuses Pawan Khera's Wife Of Holding 2 Active Voter IDs". NDTV. Retrieved 2026-04-30.