Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has raised national security concerns by alleging that Elizabeth Gogoi, the wife of Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, shared a confidential report with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, a Pakistani individual known for anti-India activities. The Chief Minister stated that these claims stem from a report highlighted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). According to Sarma, the SIT identified a document from August 5, 2014, indicating the transmission of a 50-page confidential report to Sheikh in Pakistan by Elizabeth Gogoi.
CM Sarma emphasized that due to the report being sent to a “country of concern,” it was considered a classified intelligence communication and a field intelligence report. He further detailed that the report contained references to Intelligence Bureau communications, strategic suggestions for operations in India with low risk and visibility, and proposals to circumvent Central government oversight through sub-national engagement. Sarma pointed out that prima facie, this action could fall under the provisions of Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the state government is treating the matter seriously and will explore legal options based on the SIT’s discoveries. He disclosed that Elizabeth Gogoi had been associated with LEAD Pakistan, a climate-change non-profit led by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, during her time in Islamabad. Sarma mentioned that the SIT investigation uncovered a setup where a Pakistani NGO employed Gogoi in Islamabad and later shifted her work to India.
Sarma also alleged that a firm based in Pakistan hired Elizabeth Gogoi and then relocated her to India, with her salary allegedly funded by Sheikh. The SIT’s findings suggested that these foreign payments were channeled through Indian bank accounts, potentially violating the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The SIT report indicated the establishment of “LEAD India” in New Delhi as a conduit for foreign funds, bypassing FCRA regulations.
