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The Assam Police has registered a case against Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheik, and others under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.
This was done following a decision of the state cabinet held on February 16, the Assam Chief Minister said. Assam Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) registered the FIR as a CID case PS Case No 05/2025 U/S 48/152/ 61/197 (1) BNS, 2023 RW Sec. 13 (1) UA (P) Act. Taking to his social media platform X, Assam CM Sarma wrote. "In pursuance of the Cabinet decision taken yesterday, Assam Police has lodged an FIR and the same had been registered against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and unknown others." Yesterday, the Assam Cabinet had directed the state DGP to register a case against Ali Sheik and conduct a probe on 'anti-India agenda'. Chief Minister Sarma challenged Congress MP Gourav Gogoi over the latter's remarks about appropriate legal action on the allegations relating to his wife, saying "this will expedite the process of inquiry". Answering a query from ANI during a press conference regarding Gaurav Gogoi's remarks of taking "appropriate action" in wake of allegations against his wife and him, the Assam CM welcomed any decision to move court and also said the matter needs to be probed seriously. "India is a democratic country. Everybody can take appropriate action. If he goes to the Court, it will be very good. Then many matters which today we cannot speak of, we can speak before the judge...If he decides to go to the court, we will welcome that and this will expedite the process of inquiry. If anybody is innocent, they will be declared innocent by the court of law. We have no objection to it but this matter needs to be investigated very seriously," the Chief Minister said. The resolution adopted by the Assam cabinet said "following scrutiny of Ali Sheikh's social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that he has been in contact with Elizabeth Gogoi a British national and wife of Gaurav Gogoi". Sarma said Assam cabinet has directed the Assam DGP to register a case against Ali Sheikh under appropriate provisions of BNS and other relevant laws. The Assam cabinet has also given directions for an extensive inquiry to be conducted to ascertain "whether these activities are part of a large conspiracy and to identify any sympathiser or associate within Assam and across India who maybe aiding Mr Sheikh's anti-India agenda..." The Assam Cabinet noted that the State of Assam has historically remained a hotspot for ISI sponsored activities, necessitating heightened vigilance and decisive action. Sarma read from the resolution and said in recent days, multiple news reports, social media posts and other information in the public domain has surfaced regarding certain comments made by a Pakistani national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, aimed at disrupting communal harmony in Assam. "Additionally, a perusal of his social media activity included exhaustive commentary on India's internal affairs and Parliamentary matters, raising serious concerns....Closer examination of information from public domain reveal that Ali Sheikh is an influential individual with pervasive roots in Govt of Pakistan and its leadership, having even represented the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the international forum," he said. The resolution said in the light of these facts and given the historical attempts of Pakistani State and non-State actors, to destabilise Assam, the state government "takes Ali Sheikh's attempt to interfere in the domestic matters of Assam and India with utmost seriousness". "Following scrutiny of his social media activity and information available in the public domain, it appears that Ali Sheikh has been in contact with Elizabeth Gogoi, a British national and the wife of Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi. Apart from his engagement with the Govt of Pakistan, Ali Sheikh has also founded 'Lead Pakistan', a non-profit organisation working in the field of climate change. Elizabeth Gogoi was an integral part of 'Lead Pakistan' during her time spent in Islamabad," the resolution said. It said Ali Sheikh and Elizabeth Gogoi have been a part of global climate action group , 'The Climate and Development Knowledge Network' which operates both in India and Pakistan. The Assam cabinet noted its concerns regarding the explicit involvement of a Pakistani-based leader and other actor of a climate action group in the matters concerning India's internal affairs, thereby raising serious questions on its actual intent and operations. (ANI)
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