Pak national paid salary to Gogoi’s wife, gave job, sent her to India: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday escalated his allegations against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and his wife Elizabeth Gogoi, claiming that a Pakistani firm had employed her before transferring her to India, with her salary allegedly paid by Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.

Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said the matter was “extremely serious” as it involves a sitting MP and the Deputy Leader of the Congress in Parliament. He said the Assam Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) had already completed its probe and a case was registered at the CID police station.

“Yesterday, after going through the report, state cabinet is of the opinion that this matter should be investigated by a central agency and we have decided to refer the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs for further investigation. Case will be transferred to Central Govt once we get affirmative reply from the Central Govt,” Sarma said.

Besides, the CM alleged that Gogoi undertook a "very confidential" visit to Pakistan in 2013 and was believed to have undergone "some kind of training" there.

Who is Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and what are the allegations?

The Chief Minister alleged that Ali Tauqeer Sheikh was not an environmentalist but was working on behalf of Pakistan on issues linked to the Indus Water Treaty and regional India-Pakistan disputes.

Sarma further claimed Sheikh regularly tagged Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi on social media but deleted his posts and closed his account after the investigation began. “Normally, a person of Pakistan should not fear the investigation by Assam Police because we cannot reach him. But in order to protect someone, he deleted all his tweets...He closed the Twitter account. Why? Obviously to protect someone in Assam,” he alleged.

The Congress party has not yet responded to the claims.