Assam CM’s Rs 500 cr suit: Congress leaders barred from fresh remarks till March 9

Guwahati, Feb 12: A court in Guwahati has restrained Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Bhupesh Baghel and Jitendra Singh from making any “defamatory statements” against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has filed a Rs 500 crore defamation suit against them, until they appear in person.

After hearing the petitioner’s counsel, Civil Judge (Senior Division) No. 1 Nayanjyoti Sarma on Wednesday passed an ad-interim injunction restraining Gogoi, Baghel and Singh, along with a prominent Assamese daily, from “making, publishing, circulating or disseminating any further defamatory statements or materials concerning the petitioner till their appearance in court.”

In the order, the judge observed that failure to grant an ad-interim injunction would “defeat the ends of justice” and that there was every possibility of multiplicity of proceedings.

The court has directed the defendants, including Gogoi, to appear on March 9, when the matter will be taken up for further hearing.

Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, appearing for the Chief Minister, said the court has issued notice to the Congress leaders as well as to Jayanta Baruah, owner of the Assamese daily, along with its publisher and staff reporter, asking them to furnish proof of the allegations.

According to Saikia, the Chief Minister was aggrieved by remarks made during a Congress press conference alleging that he had grabbed nearly 12,000 bighas of land in the state.

“My client Himanta Biswa Sarma was hurt after the Congress press conference where they claimed that he had grabbed nearly 12,000 bighas of land. The Chief Minister has categorically stated that the allegations levelled against him are false,” Saikia said.

Saikia added that Sarma has challenged his detractors to provide documentary evidence to substantiate the allegation.

He also said the Chief Minister has rejected accusations that he became Chief Minister by betraying other leaders. He asserted that Sarma has disclosed details of his assets before the Election Commission in affidavits filed during every Assembly election he has contested since 2001.

“All his properties are declared in his income tax returns and are fully accounted for,” Saikia said.

Questioning the basis of the allegations, Saikia asked how the Congress arrived at the figure of 12,000 bighas when all declared properties are reflected in official records.

“With elections just months away, the Congress is making such allegations to gain political mileage before the polls. They are trying to mislead the people,” he added.

With inputs from PTI