Guwahati: Court bars Congress leaders from making ‘defamatory statements’

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: A civil court in Guwahati has issued an injunction barring Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Bhupesh Baghel, and Jitendra Singh from making any ‘defamatory statements’ against Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. The court also directed the publisher, owner, and staff reporter of a local vernacular daily to refrain from publishing and disseminating any material regarding allegations that the CM and his family were acquiring property, etc., until the personal appearance of the seven persons before the court on March 9, 2026.

The CM had, on Tuesday, filed a Rs 500 crore defamation suit against the Congress leaders ‘for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations’ against him in a press conference.

The Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) No. 1, Nayanjyoti Sarma, after hearing the case on Wednesday, passed an ad-interim injunction restraining Gogoi, Baghel and Singh, along with a prominent Assamese daily, from “making, publishing, circulating or disseminating any further defamatory statements or materials concerning the petitioner until their appearance in court.” The judge, in the order, observed that failure to grant an ad interim injunction would “defeat the ends of justice” and that there was every possibility of multiplicity of proceedings, according to Advocate General Devajit Saikia, who appeared on behalf of the Chief Minister in court.

Saikia said the court has issued notice to the Congress leaders as well as the owner of the Assamese daily, along with its publisher and staff reporter, asking them to furnish proof of the allegations they made.

According to Saikia, the Chief Minister was ‘hurt’ by the remarks made during a Congress press conference alleging that he had grabbed nearly 12,000 bighas of land in the state. “My client Himanta Biswa Sarma was hurt after the Congress leaders claimed that he had grabbed nearly 12,000 bighas of land. The Chief Minister has categorically stated that the allegations levelled against him are imaginary and made up,” Saikia said.

“The court, after the conclusion of the hearing, said, ‘To sum up the aforesaid discussion, the court is of the considered opinion that if an order of ad interim injunction is not passed as prayed for, it will defeat the justice, and there is every possibility of creation of multiplicity of proceedings. Hence, an order of ad interim prohibitory injunction is passed, restraining the opposite parties from making, publishing, circulating or disseminating any further defamatory statements or materials concerning the petitioner’, i.e., Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Saikia stated.

Saikia asserted that the CM has disclosed details of his and his family’s assets to the Election Commission in affidavits filed before every election he has contested since 2001—in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021. He also said, “All his properties are declared in his income tax returns and are fully accounted for,” questioning as to how the Congress arrived at the figure of 12,000 bighas when all the CM’s declared properties are reflected in official records.

Saikia further stated that the Chief Minister has rejected accusations that he became Chief Minister by betraying other leaders, adding, “With elections just months away, the Congress is making such allegations to gain political mileage before the polls. They are making up trumped-up charges and imaginary stories to mislead the people,” he added.

“The Congress is trying to collect political brownie points to damage the CM’s reputation,” Saikia further said.

Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, hit back at allegations by the Congress, asserting that political rivals must prove their claims in a court of law. “I’ve always stated that we declare all our property in the affidavits submitted during the election. Anyone can see these. There are affidavits of 2021 as well as those of 2016. I am giving a scope to those who are spreading false materials to prove their allegations in the court as to where I have any ‘benami’ property,” the CM asserted.

Also Read: Assam: CM Files Defamation Suit against Congress Leaders