Assam: Cabinet asks DGP to register case against Pak national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh

Probe into MP Gogoi’s wife for visa violations

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet, in its meeting on Sunday evening, directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Assam, to register a case against Pakistani national Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS) and other relevant laws.

The cabinet also passed a resolution regarding an extensive inquiry to be conducted to ascertain whether certain activities on social media 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. Involvement of Assam’s Lok Sabha Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national who worked with Mr. Sheikh in Islamabad in connection with an NGO founded by him, is expected to be part of the inquiry.

In this connection, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, after the cabinet meeting, disclosed the full text of the resolution adopted in today’s cabinet meeting held in Dispur, which read, “In recent days multiple news reports, social media posts, and other information in the public domain have surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. Additionally, a perusal of his social media activity includes exhaustive commentary on India’s internal affairs and parliamentary matters, raising serious concerns about the said individual’s intention to compromise and damage India’s interests.

 Closer examination of information from the public domain reveals that Mr. Ali Sheikh is an influential individual with pervasive roots in the Government of Pakistan and its leadership, having even represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in international forums. It has been brought to the attention of the Assam Cabinet via publicly available information that Mr. Ali Sheikh has even served the Government of Pakistan in several advisory positions and via committees constituted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani state and non-state actors to destabilise Assam, the Government of Assam takes Mr. Ali Sheikh’s attempts to interfere in the domestic matters of the State of Assam and the Republic of India with utmost seriousness.

 Following a scrutiny of his social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that Mr. Ali Sheikh has been in contact with Smt. Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national and the wife of Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Assam, Shri Gaurav Gogoi. Apart from his engagements with the Government of Pakistan, Mr. 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 a global climate action group called the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), which operates in both India and Pakistan.

 The Assam Cabinet notes its concerns regarding the explicit involvement of a Pakistan-based leader and other actors of a climate action group in matters concerning India’s internal affairs, thereby raising serious questions on its actual intent and operations.

 Given the broader national security implications of this issue, particularly in Assam, the Assam Cabinet has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Assam to register a case against Mr. Ali Sheikh under appropriate provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and other relevant laws. Additionally, the Assam Cabinet directs an extensive inquiry to be conducted 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.

The inquiry may: (1) Investigate the width and depth of Mr. Ali Sheikh’s network within the State of Assam and across India; (2) Examine individuals, organisations and accomplices based in Assam and the rest of India who have aided and abetted Mr. Ali Sheikh’s actions against India; and (3) Seek relevant assistance and information from concerned agencies and departments of the Government of India and the Government of Assam in the course of the above-mentioned investigation.

 The Assam Cabinet expects this matter to be pursued with utmost seriousness in the interest of India’s security and sovereignty. The Assam Cabinet notes that the State of Assam has historically remained a hotspot for ISI-sponsored activities, necessitating heightened vigilance and decisive action.”

The CM said later that he expected that Elizabeth Gogoi, the wife of Assam’s Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, would cooperate in the investigation. During the inquiry, the CM also expressed his hope that MP Gaurav Gogoi will also extend his cooperation if the Assam Police want to talk to him regarding a question raised by him in parliament on a nuclear warhead.

It was also stated by the CM that he would take up separately with the Union Government the matter of Elizabeth Gogoi, being a British national and here on a visa, participating twice in the electoral process of the Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency in Assam. Any violation of visa conditions will be decided by the central government, and it will be decided whether her visa is to be continued or not. “Under visa conditions, nobody can interfere in electioneering,” he maintained, saying that, “We cannot compromise the national security.”

 Also Read: Assam: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Files Criminal Defamation Case against Manoj Chauhan

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