After Congress accuses Sarma & family of accumulating 12k bighas, Assam CM files defamation case

Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he has filed a defamation case against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi, seeking ₹500 crore in damages "for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against me".

The Congress leaders, in a press conference last week, had made a series of corruption allegations against Sarma, including holding illegal land assets. They also alleged graft in several government departments.

Gogoi, president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, alleged that the CM and his family have accumulated around 12,000 bighas of land over the years. He also announced the launch of a public portal to collect information from citizens on the alleged land holdings.


Assam Congress in-charge and AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel levelled similar allegations against Sarma.

Gogoi and Sarma are engaged in a bitter war of words. Sarma on Sunday made public findings of a SIT probe, alleging violation of the FCRA by Gogoi's wife. Gogoi has termed the SIT report as "an imaginary story." On Monday, he had also said while he became the APCC president last year, no security cover was provided to him.