Gaurav Gogoi's 'Pakistan connection' to be investigated; Assam cabinet sends report to Home Ministry

Guwahati: The Assam cabinet has decided to refer the case involving alleged links of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to Pakistan to the Union Home Ministry (MHA). Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a press briefing after the cabinet meeting, stated that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government has submitted its report, and the cabinet has concluded that the matter concerns national security.

Did Gogoi meet Pakistan High Commission? 

The Assam Chief Minister said he had received information that Gaurav Gogoi had led a delegation to the Pakistan High Commission and met with the then Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit. He said he couldn't recall any other leader meeting with the Pakistan High Commission with a delegation in this manner. He also said that the SIT did not question Gogoi because he is a sitting Member of Parliament, and out of respect for his position, the matter was referred to the central government. Sarma said that if they had taken strong action like arrest at this stage, they would have been accused of playing politics before the elections.

According to the cabinet, this is not a private matter, but a case involving three key figures: a Member of Parliament, his British wife, and a Pakistani national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. The SIT was tasked with investigating Sheikh's alleged interference in India's internal affairs. The SIT submitted its report to the Chief Minister within the stipulated time.

Sarma said that some information, which is not confidential, will be made public at a press conference on Sunday. The cabinet has authorized him to do so.

Did Gogoi visit Pakistan? 

The Chief Minister alleged that an MP from Assam had visited Pakistan when his father, Tarun Gogoi, was the Chief Minister. He also claimed that the central government was not informed about this visit and that there was a "blackout" on social media during the Pakistan trip.

Sarma alleged that Gogoi's wife, Elizabeth Colborne, worked in Pakistan between March 2011 and March 2012 and had professional contact with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. According to the SIT, she was associated with organizations like LEAD Pakistan and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and also co-authored research papers with Sheikh. Sarma claimed that after the investigation began, Sheikh removed posts related to him from social media.

The Chief Minister said that Sheikh visited India several times during the UPA government, but his visits stopped after the NDA government came to power in 2014. The SIT has obtained some sensitive information and material, but the state police do not have the authority to access phone records and certain confidential documents, which can only be obtained by central agencies.

What did Gaurav Gogoi say? 

Gaurov Gogoi has termed the allegations “ridiculous, baseless, insane, and nonsense.” He accused the Chief Minister of behaving like an “IT cell troll” without presenting any facts. His reaction to the latest decision to refer the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs is yet to come.

This development further intensifies the confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Congress leadership in Assam. Sarma alleged that the Congress headquarters in Guwahati, Rajiv Bhavan, has become a center of “anti-Assamese activities.” He also announced that he would file defamation suits against Congress leaders for the statements made against him and his family.