The Assam Police has lodged an FIR against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and others for alleged comments on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters aimed at disrupting communal harmony and the nation’s interests following allegations of his close link with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s British wife Elizabeth Colburn, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday (February 17, 2025).
Also read: Himanta questions ‘extent’ of relations between Gaurav Gogoi, his wife and Pakistani advisor
‘’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,’‘ the Chief Minister posted on ‘X’.
The Assam Cabinet on Sunday (Feb. 16) had decided not to register any case against the Congress MP or his British spouse, who the BJP has accused of having ISI links, but instructed the DGP to file an FIR against Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.
Also read: BJP again targets Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, alleging his wife’s previous links with an ‘ISI-backed’ person
The Chief Minister had said the State Government will write to the Centre for probing Ms. Colburn’s participation in Lok Sabha campaigns, despite being a British citizen, in the erstwhile Kaliabor constituency, which was won by Mr. Gogoi twice.
Mr. Sheikh’s social media activity includes exhaustive commentary on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters, raising serious concerns on the said individual’s intention to compromise and damage India’s interests, he said.
The Assam Cabinet also directed an extensive inquiry to ascertain whether these activities are part of a larger conspiracy and to identify any sympathisers or associates within Assam and across India who may be aiding Mr. Sheikh’s Anti-India agenda, an official release said.
The inquiry may investigate Mr. Sheikh’s network within Assam and India, examine individuals, organisations and accomplices based in the country who have aided and abetted his actions against India, and seek relevant assistance and information from concerned agencies and departments of the Centre for the probe.
The Cabinet decision is in contrast to Mr. Sarma’s statement on Saturday (Feb. 15) that a police case was likely to be registered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be constituted to probe into the allegations of Pakistan links of Ms. Colburn.
The Cabinet Resolution stated that following a scrutiny of Mr. Sheikh’s social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that he has been in contact with Ms. Colburn.
“Apart from his engagements with the Government of Pakistan, Ali Sheikh has also founded LEAD Pakistan, a non-profit organisation, working in the field of climate change. Smt. Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national, was an integral part of LEAD Pakistan during her time spent in Islamabad.
“Furthermore, both Mr. Ali Sheikh and Smt. Elizabeth Gogoi, a British National, have been a part of global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network [CDKN] which operates in both India and Pakistan,” the resolution said.
Mr. Gogoi on Friday (Feb. 14) had said that the BJP went to extreme steps to defame him and his family and asserted that he would be taking appropriate legal action, while he penned a letter in Assamese addressed to his wife and shared it as a post on Facebook on Saturday (Feb. 15), assuring her that truth shall prevail.
