FIR Against Pakistani National In Assam Over Links To Gaurav Gogoi’s Wife, Congress MP Calls It 'Slanderous Campaign'
The Assam Police's CID has registered the FIR against Sheikh under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Assam Police on Monday filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Pakistani national Ali Tauqueer Sheikh and unidentified individuals for alleged anti-India activities. This action follows after a directive was issued by the state cabinet, with a lead of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, instructing the police to investigate Sheikh and assess whether his alleged links with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Clare Gogoi, a British national, pose any threat to India's security and sovereignty.
Following this, Gogoi dismissed the allegations made by Sarma and other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders against his wife by calling them a “slanderous campaign”, adding that he and his family would take the required action against them.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Assam Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has registered the FIR against Sheikh under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including charges related to abetting acts that could constitute offences in India, threatening national sovereignty, criminal conspiracy, and unlawful activities.
“In pursuance of the cabinet decision taken yesterday, Assam Police has lodged an FIR and the same had been registered as CID PS Case No 05/2025 U/S 48/152/61/197(1) BNS, 2023 RW Sec.13(1) UA(P) Act against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and unknown others,” Sarma posted on X on Monday.
In pursuance of the Cabinet decision taken yesterday, Assam Police has lodged an FIR and the same had been registered as CID PS Case No 05/2025 U/S 48/152/61/197(1) BNS, 2023 RW Sec.13(1) UA(P) Act against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and unknown others.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 17, 2025
Sheikh is the founder of Lead Pakistan, a non-profit organization focused on climate change. Sarma alleged that Elizabeth Gogoi was actively involved with Lead Pakistan during her time in Islamabad.
Himata Biswa Sarma's Allegations On Gogoi's Wife and Pakistani National
As per the Indian Express report, over the past week, Sarma and some BJP leaders have raised concerns about Elizabeth Gogoi’s foreign citizenship, alleging links to Pakistan’s ISI. They also scrutinised a meeting that Gaurav Gogoi had with the then Pakistani High Commissioner to India in 2015.
Elizabeth, a British national specialising in climate policy, previously worked in Pakistan from 2011 to 2015 as part of her role with the Climate Development and Knowledge Network (CDKN), Asia.
According to HT, Sarma emphasised that the Assam cabinet expected the matter to be carried out with seriousness concerning India’s security and sovereignty, citing Assam’s historical vulnerability to activities linked to Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI.
“We expect that since Elizabeth Gogoi, who is a British citizen and is the wife of a MP from Assam, will cooperate in this investigation and share her passport, visa and travel documents with the investigating team. Also expect Gaurav Gogoi to inform Assam police, if they choose to seek his statements, regarding any direct or indirect links to his questions raised in parliament, especially those related to India’s nuclear heads,” he added.
Sarma further said that it will be better if Gogoi go to court or else takes legal action against the matter. “We can’t talk about many matters publicly. But if the issue goes to court, the Assam government will welcome it as all matters will have to be disclosed as directed by the courts,” he said. “We can’t compromise with the nation’s security just because someone is a leader of a political party. I am separately writing a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge as well as the party’s state unit chief Bhupen Kumar Borah to highlight that whatever action we are taking is not for political purpose but for maintaining the security and sovereignty of the country,” he said.
Sarma said that Gogoi’s visit to the Pakistan high commission in India at New Delhi in 2015 has been confirmed adding that the Congress MP had also raised questions on India’s nuclear energy and issues related to defence in Parliament.
Himanta Biswa Sarma highlights Gogoi’s confirmed visit to the Pakistan High Commission in India at New Delhi in 2015 and following that the Congress MP raised questions on nuclear energy and issues related to the defence of India in Parliament. “Why does an MP from Assam want to know details of uranium deposits in Meghalaya or about which countries are supporting our nuclear program? These are issues of serious national concern,” he said.
“Even Sonia Gandhi has taken Indian citizenship. Why can’t you (Elizabeth) do the same? It is purely your personal matter, but being a foreign national can you interfere in the election process of India? I can definitely question that. They have to answer in a court of law or the police. Otherwise, we have every right to ask the Centre to cancel her visa,” he added.
Reacting over all the allegations labelled by Sarma and others, Gogoi on Sunday responded, “All of this is being done because 12 months from now there will be elections in Assam and the BJP government has no performance to show. They are unable to fulfill their promises, and to hide their failures they are embarking upon a mischievous and malicious, baseless, fact-less slanderous campaign and we will definitely be taking appropriate action.”
In the end, Gaurav Gogoi expressed confidence in the people of Assam, stating that they can recognise the ongoing slander campaign for what it is. He pointed out that the people of Jharkhand had rejected Himanta Biswa Sarma’s rhetoric during the state's assembly elections last year, where the Assam Chief Minister served as the BJP’s deputy in charge. Gogoi believes that the people of Assam will demonstrate the same discernment, see through the false allegations, and elect a Congress-led government in the upcoming assembly elections.
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