New Delhi (India) February 10:Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday filed a Rs 500-crore defamation case against senior Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi over "false" and "malicious" allegations made by them over his land holdings. The allegations have spiced up Assam's political corridors ahead of elections this year.
"Today, I have filed a defamation case seeking Rs 500 crore in damages against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against me through a press conference," Sarma said on social media platform X.

Sarma Vows Civil and Criminal Action

The chief minister of Assam said he was initiating both civil and criminal proceedings.
“I am initiating civil and criminal defamation proceedings on 9 February 2026 against @JitendraSAlwar, @bhupeshbaghel, @GauravGogoiAsm and @DsaikiaOfficial for making false, malicious and defamatory statements against me in today’s press conference,” he said.
“The era of hit-and-run politics is over. If they have even an ounce of courage or evidence, let them prove every allegation before a court of law,” he said, adding, “I will not be intimidated by propaganda, coordinated slander, or political theatrics of so-called slaves of Gandhi family,” he added.

Congress Fires Back with AI Misuse Complaint

This defamation case has been initiated by the Chief Minister at the Kamrup District Civil Court, and further proceedings are underway. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Tuesday lodged a police complaint at Dispur Police Station against the BJP and Sarma, alleging misuse of artificial intelligence to malign Gogoi and targeting Muslims through the now-deleted 'point blank shot' video.
The development comes after Gogoi, who is the Assam Congress president, claimed last week that a probe by the party revealed that almost 12,000 bighas of land were occupied by Sarma and his family members across the state. 

Cross-Allegations Heat Up Election Battle

Assam's political space has already heated up ahead of the assembly elections this year. Sarma opened another front against Gogoi after he alleged that the Congress leader and his British wife, Elizabeth Colburn, had "deep links" with a Pakistani national, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.
The Chief Minister suggested that intel might have been passed to Pakistan. The Congress hit back swiftly, claiming that Sarma had no documentary evidence to support his claims and "lost his mental balance".