Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma claimed that Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, the British-born wife of the Congress MP, had professional and personal associations with Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh. The Chief Minister said the state government would also seek cancellation of Colburn’s Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status or visa, alleging her presence in India was “detrimental to national interest.”
According to Sarma, the state police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has examined materials suggesting that Colburn worked with organisations and individuals connected to Pakistan and was allegedly paid for information-related work. He further alleged that payments were routed in ways that bypassed provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), and that her travel history included multiple visits to Pakistan.
Sarma also raised questions about Gogoi’s own visits to Pakistan in 2013, claiming that the MP travelled beyond the scope of his visa and that local authorities were not informed. He alleged that Gogoi later raised questions in Parliament related to defence and nuclear facilities, implying a security concern. The Chief Minister said the SIT had reached a stage where central assistance was required, including access to sensitive information and coordination with international agencies.
“The investigation cannot proceed further without the involvement of central agencies. Therefore, the matter will be handed over to an agency designated by the Ministry of Home Affairs,” Sarma said.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has strongly rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated and aimed at diverting attention from issues facing the Assam government. Responding to Sarma’s claims, Gogoi said that accusations against his wife were baseless and defamatory. In a public statement earlier, he remarked that if such allegations were to be believed, then he himself could equally be labelled an Indian intelligence agent, underscoring what he described as the absurdity of the charges.
The controversy escalated earlier this month after local media reports in Assam linked Colburn to Pakistani and international organisations. Sarma subsequently amplified the issue on social media, questioning why foreign citizenship rules applied to spouses of civil servants but not to elected representatives.
The Congress party has demanded evidence to substantiate the claims and has accused the BJP-led state government of misusing state machinery for political ends. With the case now set to be referred to the Centre, further scrutiny by central agencies is expected to determine whether the allegations warrant formal action.
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