Before the press conference ended, Gogoi issued a response, calling Sarma’s move “worse than a C-grade cinema” and dismissing the allegations as “mindless and bogus points offered by the so-called politically shrewd Chief Minister”. He also referred to the Congress’s own campaign, accusing Sarma and his family of “land-grabbing” at more than 12,000 bighas across the state.

Over the course of the Chief Minister’s press conference on Sunday, Sarma built on a wide range of allegations he has been raising against the Gogois and prominent Pakistani climate policy expert Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, with whom Elizabeth has worked. Sarma also announced that the Assam Cabinet on Saturday took the decision to refer the case to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for central investigating agencies to take forward.

In February last year, the Assam Police’s Crime Investigation Department had registered a case against Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and “unknown others” under sections of the BNS pertaining to abetment from outside India for an offence in India; acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India; criminal conspiracy; imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration; and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A four-member SIT had been constituted to investigate the case, led by CID Special DGP M P Gupta.

On September 10 last year, Sarma announced that the SIT had submitted its report to the Cabinet and that its findings would be made public. Asked by reporters why he waited till Sunday for this, he attributed it to the mass outpouring of grief in the state after the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg on September 19.

He said that the SIT found that Sheikh, who was the Regional Director for Asia of Climate and Development Network (CDKN), the CEO of thinktank LEAD Pakistan, which is under it, and has held multiple advisory roles for Pakistan government task forces, holds “anti-India” views and “was allowed to visit India 13 times during the UPA era”. He said the SIT found Sheikh employed Elizabeth Gogoi at LEAD Pakistan in 2011, and within a year, she was transferred to LEAD India and that her contract stipulated that her work in India would continue to be managed, overseen and approved by Sheikh in his capacity as Asia Regional Director of CDKN. According to Sarma, the SIT found that while she was working at LEAD India, where she worked until 2015, her salary was funded by LEAD Pakistan and that she “sent confidential material to Ali Tauqeer Sheikh”. He also said she travelled to Islamabad six times while working at the organisation.

He highlighted a 2014 report that he said the SIT accessed, allegedly sent by her to Sheikh on strategies for the CDKN to successfully work on programmes in India, which he alleged referred to “secret Intelligence Bureau (IB) information” and “has specific material that could aid and abet Pakistan-based actors to navigate the Indian governance structures and exploit likely loopholes”.

Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. … Read More

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