Assam: Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi 'welcomes' MLA Bhaskar Sarma's defamation case against him

Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi has responded to the defamation case threat by Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sarma by saying that he will prove the coke factory grabbing case in the court. 

Earlier today, Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sarma had said that Akhil Gogoi's allegations against him in the coke plant grabbing case are false and threatened to file a defamation case against Gogoi, while asking for proof against him. 

Now responding to the Margherita MLA's threat, the Sivasagar MLA said that he welcomes Bhaskar Sarma's move to file a defamation case against him. Gogoi said that he will prove it in court about Sarma's involvement in the coke plant grabbing case. Gogoi further said that he will speak to the media about an alleged coal syndicate and rampant coal mining going on in Margherita and Ledo. 

"I have come to know of a statement by Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sarma. A company called Brightshine Coke and Coal Private Limited had brought forth a complaint in front of the Chief Minister of Assam. A written complaint was also produced before me as an opposition MLA that the Brightshine Coke and Coal Private Limited has established a coke plant in Margherita, following which Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sarma his aides had occupied it. Both complaint was sent to both the Chief Minister and also me. The company had also provided us all te supporting documents regarding the case. If now Bhaskar Sarma says that we are lying, and that he would file a defamation case against me, then I welcome such a case against me from Bhaskar Sarma. We shall go to the court and we shall produce all relevant documents given to us to the court. Also the day we go to the court, we shall address the media and tell them of the coal syndicate and rampant illegal coal mining going on in Margherita and Ledo. We will talk of the mastermind and how these things are running. Hence I call upon Bhaskar Sarma to file the case against me and we will take responsibility of proving the case of te illegal grabbing of the coke factory," said Akhil Gogoi, while responding to Bhaskar Sarma's defamation case threat.

On October 9, Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi had raised the issue during a press meet and had demanded that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma intervene in the issue. Gogoi had also said that on one hand, Chief Minister Sarma is inviting investors into the state through initiatives like Advantage Assam, and on the other hand, his party MLA is illegally grabbing a coke plant set up by a businessman from Kolkata. 

The matter came to light when a Kolkata-based businessman Mahesh Bhimsaria alleged that aides of MLA Bhaskar Sarma, at his behest, forcefully grabbed a coke plant set up by the businessman in Tinsukia district of the state. The incident came to light after the businessman wrote a letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 4 complaining about “gundaraj” by the MLA and his associates and seeking the Chief Minister’s intervention in the matter.