Himanta Biswa Sarma Says Central Probe Needed To Find Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi's Links With Pakistan

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has once again put the spotlight on allegations involving Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, but with a notable caveat: the state government, he said, will not take coercive action and has instead passed the matter to the Centre. Speaking in Guwahati, Sarma argued that arrests or questioning at this stage could be interpreted as politically driven, especially with Assembly elections approaching.

According to Sarma, the Assam government has deliberately stayed away from summoning Gogoi, choosing instead to refer the case to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The chief minister said this decision was taken in view of Gogoi's position as the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha and to allow central agencies to independently assess the claims without the shadow of state-level politics.

At the heart of the controversy, Sarma said, are alleged links between Gogoi's family and Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. The chief minister claimed that Gogoi's British spouse, Elizabeth, had professional dealings connected to Sheikh, including employment that originated from a Pakistani-linked company before her move to India. Sarma described Sheikh as a Pakistan agent, an allegation that has not been independently verified.

Sarma also drew attention to Sheikh's travel history, alleging that he visited India 13 times between 2010 and 2013, during the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. He claimed that these visits stopped after the change in government in 2014 and suggested that Sheikh's decision to delete his social media posts came after the Assam government began its inquiry.

Further allegations centred on Elizabeth's travel and work history. Sarma claimed she made several trips to Pakistan while working for Indian and non-governmental organisations, and that some of her movements were deliberately kept low-profile. He also alleged that she shared climate-related information with Sheikh, referencing what he described as a strategic shift after the Modi government took office.

The chief minister additionally questioned Gogoi's election disclosures, alleging that a Pakistani bank account linked to Elizabeth was not mentioned in Gogoi's affidavit. Sarma said this, along with other materials gathered by the state, had now been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs for review.

Ending his remarks, Sarma made it clear that the Assam government does not intend to pursue arrests or direct action. Any further steps, he said, should come from central investigative agencies, framing the issue as one requiring national-level scrutiny rather than state intervention.