Elizabeth Colburn, Mr. Gogoi’s wife, will also be investigated for her potential ties to Pakistan and its intelligence organization, ISI, according to Mr. Sarma.
Guwahati: For “trying to interfere in domestic matters” of the state and the nation, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday ordered the registration of a complaint against a Pakistani person who is thought to have ties to Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife.
Elizabeth Colburn, Mr. Gogoi’s wife, will also be investigated for her alleged ties to Pakistan and its spy organization, Inter-Services spy (ISI), according to Mr. Sarma. In addition, despite being a British citizen, she will be looked at for allegedly taking part in the Lok Sabha election campaigns.
Mr. Gogoi won the former Kaliabor seat twice between 2014 and 2024.
A day after Mr. Gogoi vowed to go to court over Mr. Sarma and the accusations made against his wife by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the events transpired during a cabinet meeting.
The Congress leader indicated earlier in the day that he does not want to get involved in “dirty and baseless” politics, but he did not immediately respond to Mr. Sarma’s most recent remark. The accusations had previously been dismissed as “laughable and entertaining” by him.
“Numerous news reports, social media posts, and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam,” Mr. Sarma said at a press conference following the cabinet meeting. The state cabinet has instructed the DGP to file a case against Sheikh in accordance with the relevant BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) rules and other pertinent legislation, given the issue’s wider national security ramifications, especially in Assam.
The Chief Minister further claimed that an analysis of Mr. Sheikh’s public information and social media activities reveals that he has communicated with Ms. Colburn.
“In addition to his involvement with the Pakistani government, Ali Sheikh is the founder of LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organization that addresses climate change. During her tenure in Islamabad, Elizabeth Gogoi played a crucial role in LEAD Pakistan. The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), a global climate action group with operations in Pakistan and India, has both Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi as members,” he stated.
The state administration takes Mr. Sheikh’s attempts to meddle in the internal affairs of the state and India very seriously, he continued, considering these facts and the past attempts by Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilize Assam.
When BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that Ms. Colburn had connections to the ISI while she was employed by Mr. Sheikh, a former counselor to the Planning Commission of Pakistan, at the Climate and Knowledge Development Network in Islamabad, a dispute broke out on February 12.
The Congress leader responded sharply to Mr. Sarma’s similar charges that same day, without mentioning Mr. Gogoi. He used a movie reference as a counterattack. “If Salman Khan’s wife can be an ISI agent like in ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, then I must be a RAW agent too,” Gogoi stated.
Mr. Sarma stated on Saturday that a Special Investigation Team will be formed to look into the accusations made against the opposition leader’s wife and that a police case would probably be filed.
The Chief Minister said that Mr. Sheikh must have obtained access to the Chief Minister’s Office following Ms. Colburn’s marriage to Mr. Gogoi.
Additionally, he claimed that the visit of Mr. Gogoi to the Pakistani embassy was verified. “The MP raised sensitive issues in the Lok Sabha, including nuclear radars and Meghalayan uranium mining. Why would an Assam MP need to know such things? “If he and his spouse don’t cooperate with the investigation, they will be called in,” he stated.
Additionally, according to Mr. Sarma, Ms. Colburn ran a campaign for her husband in the Kaliabor constituency before two Lok Sabha elections.
“How is it possible for a British citizen to vote in Indian elections? We can see old TV clips of her personally participating in the electoral process. She therefore broke the rules regarding her visa. If so, her visa should be revoked and examined by the Indian authorities,” he stated.
The Chief Minister stated that he will talk about how the proactive state government may work in tandem with central agencies during his upcoming meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to Mr. Sarma, it appears like Mr. Gogoi is merely an actor in the broader system rather than the director. “Perhaps he is inadvertently stuck. Therefore, we will approach the situation with empathy. Right now, we don’t want to accuse him,” he stated.
Given the involvement of America, Islamabad, and London, it’s possible that he is also being blackmailed; who knows? As a result, the entire topic needs to be thoroughly investigated,” he continued.
Mr. Sarma promised to give state Congress President Bhupen Borah “all documents” so they could independently confirm the information. “Perhaps, the Congress is unaware of the full picture,” he stated.
“I will send Borah a letter explaining the circumstances and the rationale behind our decision to pursue the issue once it has been investigated. Along with INC chairman Mallikarjun Kharge and Borah, I shall deliver the letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “National security is at stake here,” he declared.
Mr. Gogoi stated earlier in the day that the Congress is focusing on how to provide Assam with a new economy, social order, education, and health policy rather than engaging in “dirty and baseless” politics. “If Mr. Sarma wishes to live this way exclusively for the next 12 months, I have no problem with it. For that, I am thankful,” the Congress leader remarked.
