GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s alleged Pakistan links, unearthed startling facts that point towards a larger conspiracy aimed at undermining India’s sovereignty.
The SIT, formed by the state government, submitted its report to the government on Wednesday. Earlier, Sarma had stated he would give the evidence against Assam Congress president Gogoi by September 10.
On Wednesday, the chief minister said the Assam Cabinet constituted the SIT to investigate the anti-India activities of a Pakistani national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, and his associates.
“During the course of this exhaustive investigation, the SIT has unearthed startling facts which point towards a larger conspiracy aimed at undermining the sovereignty of our nation,” Sarma said.
Without taking any names, he said the SIT established the involvement of a British national, who is married to an Indian Member of Parliament, in the larger nefarious activities of Sheikh.
Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, is a British national.
“Furthermore, the investigation also sheds light on how the Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan, facilitated the visit of an Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Assam in their country. The Assam government will now examine the report of the SIT in detail and place it before the state Cabinet,” the chief minister said.
Once the matter is discussed in the Cabinet, the information gathered during the enquiry will be made public, he added.
"He (Sarma) thinks that people of Assam are foolish enough to believe his wild allegations. He does not respect the intelligence and the wisdom of the people of Assam,” the MP Gogoi said.
“The people of Assam know that he has built a fabricated story based on allegations only to hide the corrupt rule of his government,” he said.
The controversy surrounding Gogoi erupted in February when BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia stated, “Very disturbing and serious facts have come to light that deputy leader of Opposition Mr Gaurav Gogoi’s wife has links with Pakistan and the ISI. Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn, is linked with one Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who happens to be the Pakistan Planning Commission advisor. This is a serious issue which poses a threat to national security.”