Guwahati: An FIR has been lodged on Monday at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi over a forged letter bearing the official letterhead and fake signature of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.
Flagging the issue, the Office of the Union Minister warned the public and media against the fraudulent document, calling it a deliberate attempt to mislead people and tarnish the image of a constitutional authority.
According to an official statement, the act amounts to a serious criminal offence involving forgery, impersonation and misuse of government identity, allegedly aimed at spreading misinformation and discrediting the Union Minister.
"It has come to our notice that a forged letter bearing the official letterhead and fake signature of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is being circulated by miscreants with malafide intent. This constitutes a serious criminal offence involving forgery, impersonation, and misuse of official government identity, apparently aimed at spreading misinformation and discrediting a constitutional authority," the statement said.
The minister’s office confirmed that an FIR has been lodged in connection with the incident and law enforcement agencies have been asked to take up the matter on priority.
"An FIR has been lodged in this matter, and law enforcement agencies have been requested to investigate the case on priority and take strict legal action against those responsible," it added.
Police have initiated a probe and have been requested to take strict legal action against those responsible.
The statement also clarified that the letter and its contents are entirely fabricated and have no connection with the Union Minister or his office.
The public and media organisations have been advised not to share or rely on such forged material and to verify any information related to the Union Minister only through official and authorised sources.
The letter, purportedly written to the BJP national president and dated January 15, 2026, claims to flag serious political and administrative challenges in Assam ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. It alleges widespread public dissatisfaction with the state government, citing issues such as corruption, poor governance, law and order concerns, unemployment, price rise and misuse of power.
The document further claims that these issues have led to growing anger at the grassroots level, weakening the party’s cadre base and eroding public trust.