Gogoi–Elizabeth Row: Could This Trigger a National Security Investigation?

Guwahati: A detailed dossier prepared by the Assam Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) and to be referred by the Assam Cabinet to the Union government is expected to raise serious allegations involving Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colebourn, potentially triggering a major political and national security controversy.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday publicly revealed portions of the report, stating that the findings point to “serious irregularities with foreign linkages that require investigation by central agencies.”

“This is not about politics. This is about the security of the nation. The SIT report has uncovered facts that must be investigated by central agencies,” CM Sarma said.

The SIT dossier alleges that Elizabeth Colebourn had close professional and personal links with Pakistan-based Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, described by witnesses as holding an anti-India worldview and allegedly humiliating Indian culture during his visits to India. Witnesses Nagarajan M. and Mukesh Kumar, employees of LEAD India, told investigators that Sheikh consistently exhibited behaviour inimical to India and Assam, and that his social media activity and statements corroborated this worldview.

The report details extensive travel by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh to India on at least 13 occasions between 2010 and 2018, using multiple routes including direct flights from Pakistan, and transit via Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan and Thailand. Investigators flagged the use of multiple entry points as a possible attempt to obscure travel patterns.

The SIT further identified suspicious travel companions, including Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir, Chairman of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, who travelled with Sheikh to India between May 1 and May 5, 2012, arriving together on Emirates flight EK 516 and departing together on Pakistan International Airlines flight PK 271. The report states that identical travel schedules suggest coordinated visits and notes that it needs to be verified whether Ministry of External Affairs clearance was obtained for the visit of a senior Pakistani official holding a sensitive national security portfolio.

Another flagged companion was Mrs. Zahra Sehr Vayani, Assistant Attorney General of Pakistan, who travelled with Sheikh to India between April 3 and April 6, 2016. Hotel records from the Metropolitan Hotel in New Delhi list the purpose of the visit as attending a conference, with the booking made through an online portal and payment by credit card, and a contact listed as an employee of the British High Commission. The SIT noted the presence of other Pakistani nationals at the same hotel on the same day and flagged the need to verify MEA clearance for the visit of a high-ranking Pakistani legal official.

According to the dossier, Elizabeth Colebourn was strategically placed in LEAD India while being employed and groomed by Ali Tauqeer Sheikh under LEAD Pakistan. The report alleges that she was placed on the payroll of LEAD Pakistan with a “shadow employment” arrangement in LEAD India as a cover, and that she reported directly to Sheikh in Pakistan rather than to LEAD India management. Investigators claim that salaries and reimbursements were processed on Sheikh’s recommendation, with no functional oversight by LEAD India’s Executive Director, and that LEAD India head Bhawana Luthra was kept unaware of her engagements.

The SIT also alleges financial manipulation involving LEAD India during a period of financial crisis, when Sheikh agreed to inject funds through LEAD Pakistan on the condition of unusual employee benefits for Elizabeth Colebourn. The initial contract allegedly concealed the funding source, which was revealed only 19 months later through a subsequent agreement. The report states that all expenses and travel required Sheikh’s approval from Islamabad and notes that the mobilisation of Pakistan-based funds to an Indian entity in this manner is unusual and requires further investigation. The claims are corroborated by the statement of Bhawana Luthra, Director of LEAD India.

One of the most serious allegations in the report is that on August 5, 2014, Elizabeth Colebourn transmitted a 50-page report marked “CONFIDENTIAL” to Ali Tauqeer Sheikh in Pakistan. The SIT categorises this as a classified intelligence communication, stating that the report contained references to secret Intelligence Bureau communications, strategy recommendations for “low risk low visibility” operations in India, and advice on bypassing central government oversight through sub-national engagement. Investigators state that the transmission of such material to a foreign country of concern could prima facie fall under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

The dossier further details Elizabeth Colebourn’s travel patterns, stating that she accompanied Sheikh on joint visits to India on July 13, 2011, January 28, 2012, and May 3, 2012, and that she crossed into Pakistan nine times in total, including six times while working at LEAD India and three times while at Oxford Policy Management. The report notes that every crossing was made on foot via the Attari-Wagah border, except for one joint return flight with Sheikh on February 8, 2012.

A summary of red flags listed by the SIT includes alleged links to George Soros via Senator Tom Udall, refusal to disclose Pakistani bank account details, a pre-determined employment contract issued 18 months before joining LEAD India, shadow employment arrangements to facilitate entry into India, salary reportedly 500 per cent higher than her reporting manager raising FCRA concerns, concealment of Pakistani funding sources, receipt of Rs 82.41 lakh from Pakistani FCRA funds, lack of oversight by LEAD India management, transmission of confidential reports to Pakistan, advocacy of covert engagement strategies, exploitation of Centre-State political tensions, joint pre-employment travel with Sheikh, and multiple unauthorised visits to Pakistan.

The SIT report also flags Gaurav Gogoi’s travel to Pakistan between December 14 and December 24, 2013, via the Attari-Wagah land border, when he was the son of the then sitting Assam Chief Minister. Investigators note a timing anomaly, stating that Elizabeth Colebourn had left LEAD Pakistan in June 2012, more than a year before the visit, and that the travel was conducted in a personal capacity and allegedly kept outside official records, with a period of digital silence during the visit.

The dossier states that both Gaurav Gogoi and Elizabeth Colebourn travelled to Pakistan on December 15, 2013, with visas issued on the same date by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Elizabeth’s visa format is described as non-standard, suggesting preferential or diplomatic treatment. The report also alleges that Gaurav Gogoi later gave an incorrect statement to the media in June 2025, claiming the visit took place while his wife was working in LEAD Pakistan, despite records showing she had left more than a year earlier.

Investigators further state that when questioned about whether Gaurav Gogoi met Ali Tauqeer Sheikh during the Pakistan visit, Elizabeth Colebourn declined to answer, raising questions about the nature of the visit and her role as a conduit between the two. The SIT also highlights parliamentary questions asked by Gaurav Gogoi related to military preparedness, security matters, Kashmir, and climate change, stating that further investigation is warranted given Elizabeth’s networks in Pakistan.

The dossier also points to an event organised by Gaurav Gogoi’s NGO, the Youth Forum on Foreign Policy, at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on September 14, 2015, during a period of strained bilateral relations, where participants met Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit. Investigators allege the event was conducted without formal Ministry of External Affairs clearance and bypassed official diplomatic channels.

Speaking to DY365, senior advocate Bijan Mahajan said that the findings could trigger investigations under multiple laws. 

“If classified intelligence was shared with a foreign national, it is a serious offence under the Official Secrets Act. If foreign funds were routed through NGOs without proper disclosure, it becomes an FCRA violation. If foreign assets or accounts were not disclosed in election affidavits, the Representation of People Act could be invoked,” he said.

Mahajan added that central agencies may need to take over the probe and international cooperation, including Interpol assistance, could be sought if required.

“What has been submitted by the SIT appears to be only the tip of the iceberg. Central agencies will have to play a major role,” he said.

The Congress has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, while the BJP has demanded a full-scale investigation by national security agencies. The Assam Cabinet has already referred the report to the Union government for further action.

Meanwhile, legal experts caution that all allegations must be independently verified by central agencies and adjudicated by courts, and that the individuals concerned remain innocent until proven guilty. However, if the allegations are substantiated, the case could have far-reaching implications involving national security investigations, foreign funding violations, election law scrutiny, and political accountability at the national level.

Also Read: Assam CM Hits Out at Gaurav Gogoi, Claims Pakistan-Funded Connections and Intelligence Breach