Assam CM's Wife Files Defamation Suit Against Gaurav Gogoi Over Corruption Allegations

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, has reportedly filed a defamation suit against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for leveling allegations that her firm received a subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the central government.

According to reports, the case will be moved on September 26, 2023 (Tuesday) before the allotted Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division), Kamrup Metro in Guwahati.

Earlier, Riniki Bhuyan, who is the CMD of Prideeast Entertainments Pvt Ltd, had informed that she would take Gogoi to court for his alleged “slanderous campaign”.

"To protect the reputation of our hardworking employees from this slanderous campaign of Sri Gaurav Gogoi - Hon'ble Member of Parliament, I am thereby constrained to file a case of defamation with Rs 10 cr in damages against him in the court of law," Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the Chairperson and Managing Director of Prideeast Entertainments Pvt Ltd said in a statement. 

She also described the allegations as an attack to malign and defame an Assamese enterprise headed by a woman entrepreneur.

"This is nothing but an attack to malign and defame a 17-year-old Assamese enterprise, which has adhered to every aspect of the law, headed by a woman entrepreneur," the statement read.

The chief minister’s wife further asserted that her company is eligible to participate in government-supported programs and incentive schemes, like any other qualifying enterprise.

"Prideeast Entertainments Pvt Ltd. - like any other qualifying enterprise- is eligible to participate in government supported programs/ incentive schemes. However in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, Prideeast Entertainments Pvt Ltd. has neither claimed or received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all the eligibility criteria," the statement further read.

Notably, a war of words ensued between the Assam chief minister and Gaurav Gogoi after the latter alleged that the CM Sarma had helped his wife's firm to get a subsidy of Rs 10 crore from the central government under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.

However, CM Sarma straight out denied the charge, saying that his wife did not benefit from the subsidy.

Gaurav Gogoi had also shared a screenshot of the Ministry of Food Processing website showing the central government approved Rs 10 crore grant to Riniki Bhuyan's company. He also shared a reply from Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament.

"The Ministry of Food Processing website clearly shows the name of the person and the company she is associated with. The Rs 10 crore government grant has also been approved. Please report to the Union Minister if their website has been hacked," Gogoi wrote on 'X' on Wednesday.

Congress national spokesperson Gourav Vallabh also reiterated the same.

"The Pride East Entertainments Private Limited, whose CMD is Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, describes itself as the leading regional media house connecting the entire northeast region. But a few months after the Chief Minister of Assam took the oath of office, this company bought 50 acres of agricultural land in Assam's Nagaon. After just a few days, this agricultural land turns into industrial land. Then this company applies in the 'Pradhanmantri Kisan Sampada Yojana' of the Government of India that it will do the work of food processing. For which he is also given a grant of Rs 10 crore," he said during a presser on Thursday.

Also Read: Gaurav Gogoi Digs Further into Controversy around CM Sarma’s Wife, Writes to Union Minister