The Assam firebrand leader and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) advisor Akhil Gogoi on August 22^nd, 2019, has urged the court to file a suo-moto case against the Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his contemptuous remarks outside the Court of the District & Sessions Judge, Kamrup.

“Whatever Himanta Biswa Sarma said before the media outside the court is a contempt of court. I would like to request the court to file a suo-moto case against him for his contemptuos remarks,” Gogoi said. Gogoi further said, “Sarma filed a case against me in 2011 where the court had given the verdict in favour of me. He could not prove that I was wrong.”

Reiterating the allegations against the minister, Gogoi said, “We all know that he is most corrupted. People of the state know that he was involved in many big scams including Saradha chit fund scam, Louis Berger scam and Rs 1000 crore Dima Hasao scam. How could it be defamation? We firmly say that he was involved in these scams.”

The North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Convenor, Sarma appeared before the Court of the District & Sessions Judge, Kamrup in a defamation case. The minister filed the defamation case in 2010 after Gogoi alleged his involvement in the nerve wreking Rs 1000 crore Dima Hasao scam. Sarma was then Congress Minister in the Tarun Gogoi-led government.

In 2018, Sarma also filed a Rs 100 crore defamation case against ABP News who had aired a news item of his involvement in the “operation dalal” controversy. The lawsuit was filed before the Civil Judge, Senior Division, Kamrup. The Hindi news channel had aired a report that Sarma had close ties with Delhi-based “power broker” Anuj Poddar.

Photo: Dhruba Borah

Guwahati | Edited by: Mukut Das