Guwahati: Assam Police have summoned senior Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora for questioning in connection with an investigation into party colleague Gaurav Gogoi’s alleged ties to Pakistan, officials confirmed.
A police officer informed a news agency that the Crime Investigation Department (CID) served a notice to Bora, directing him to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Thursday. The SIT is currently investigating the case.
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Reacting to the summons, Bora expressed shock and disbelief. In a series of posts on social media platform X, he accused the government of targeting him for publicly refuting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s allegations against Gogoi.
“I am shocked and surprised to receive a notice from the CID because I countered the false allegations of CM @himantabiswa regarding @GauravGogoiAsm‘s Pakistan links,” Bora wrote. However, he added that he would comply with the notice as a responsible citizen. “If they send me to jail, I’m prepared for it,” he stated.
When reporters asked CM Sarma about the police notice, he responded that Bora appeared to know more than the authorities about the matter.
Sarma claimed that the government knew she had received payments from an agency linked to the ISI, but said that Bora’s public statement, alleging she received money directly from the Pakistan government, prompted the police to initiate further investigation.
The SIT examines the alleged involvement of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who allegedly has ties to Gogoi’s British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, in influencing India’s internal matters.
Sheikh, formerly an advisor to Pakistan’s Planning Commission and a colleague of Colburn, faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
At a recent press conference, Bora accused Sarma of launching a smear campaign against Gogoi to prevent him from emerging as a potential chief ministerial candidate for the opposition in the 2026 state elections. Bora said, “Even if she worked in Pakistan or received payments for her work there, what’s the issue? Many Pakistanis work in India legally.”
Following those remarks, Sarma accused Bora of making a “startling admission” about Colburn being on Pakistan’s government payroll. He and the BJP have continued to question Gogoi over his wife’s alleged ties to the ISI. Sarma claimed Colburn traveled between India and Pakistan 19 times and that Gogoi himself visited Pakistan on ISI’s invitation, receiving training and sharing sensitive intelligence.
Sarma further alleged that Colburn gathered classified documents, particularly intelligence bureau reports, for a climate lobbying group tied to Pakistan.
Gogoi, in a strong rebuttal, dismissed Sarma’s accusations as “ridiculous and baseless,” suggesting the CM was behaving more like a social media troll than a responsible leader. He even questioned Sarma’s mental fitness, hinting that personal issues might be affecting his judgment.