Guwahati: A civil court in Guwahati on Wednesday restrained senior Congress leaders, including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, from making any further “defamatory statements” against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma until they appear before the court on March 9.
The order came after Sarma filed a Rs 500 crore defamation suit against Gogoi, top Congress leaders Bhupesh Baghel and Jitendra Singh, and an Assamese daily, alleging that false and damaging claims were made against him during a press conference earlier this month.
Civil Judge (Senior Division) No. 1, Nayanjyoti Sarma, passed an ad-interim injunction directing the leaders and the newspaper not to make, publish, circulate or disseminate any further defamatory material concerning the Chief Minister until their appearance in court.
In his order, the judge observed that failure to grant such interim relief could defeat the ends of justice and lead to multiple proceedings. The matter will be taken up for further hearing on March 9, when the defendants have been directed to appear in person.
The case stems from a press conference held in Guwahati on February 4 by Assam Congress leaders, during which allegations were made that Sarma and his family had allegedly acquired nearly 12,000 bighas of land across the state and were involved in other irregularities. The statements were subsequently reported in an Assamese daily on February 5.
Advocate General Devajit Lon Saikia, who is Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s advocate since his begging of political journey, appearing for the Chief Minister, said the court has issued notices to the Congress leaders as well as to the owner, publisher and a staff reporter of the newspaper, asking them to substantiate their allegations with evidence.
Saikia said the Chief Minister has strongly denied all charges. “My client was deeply hurt by the allegations made at the press conference. He has categorically stated that the claims regarding 12,000 bighas of land are false,” Saikia told reporters.
According to Saikia, Sarma has maintained that every asset owned by him has been disclosed in affidavits submitted to the Election Commission during each Assembly election he has contested since 2001. “All properties are declared in his income tax returns and are fully accounted for. There is no undisclosed property in his name or in the name of his family, as alleged,” Saikia said.
He further stated that the Chief Minister has challenged his detractors to produce documentary proof in court if they stand by their claims. “If they have evidence of land grabbing, scams or any so-called ‘HBS tax’, let them place it before the court,” Saikia added.
Sarma has claimed Rs 500 crore in damages, alleging that the statements have tarnished his public image ahead of the upcoming elections. Saikia also indicated that a criminal complaint is expected to be filed in the sessions court in connection with the matter.
The development marks a sharp escalation in the political tussle between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Assam, with the legal battle now set to play out in court in the run-up to the polls.