Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has admitted that he travelled to Rawalpindi during is visit to Pakistan, saying he had visited Taxila with his wife. In the interview, he can be seen fumbling while explaining the trip, but clearly stated that he did not go to Rawalpindi’s military headquarters. “I went to Takshila, but I didn’t go to the military headquarters in Rawalpindi,” he said.
Boy fumbles explaining his Pakistan visit pic.twitter.com/MmuA2pxSNq
— Mihir Jha (@MihirkJha) April 1, 2026
The statement has sparked fresh questions since Taxila is located in the Rawalpindi district, which is not mentioned in his visa permissions. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly raised concerns over how Gogoi accessed this region during his 2013 visit when his visa permissions were only to Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.
Sarma also pointed out that Gogoi entered Pakistan via the land border after losing his passport during a trip to Israel. He questioned how a single-entry visa was upgraded to multiple entries after arrival and how Gogoi could move through sensitive locations during a time of India-Pakistan tensions. The Chief Minister further said that Gogoi later raised questions in Parliament on issues like nuclear plants, uranium reserves, defence systems, border security and water strategies, which he linked to sensitive national matters.
Background of the Controversy
The issue grew bigger after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Assam government submitted its findings, which have now been sent to the Union Home Ministry for further probe.
The report focuses on Gogoi’s wife, Elizabeth Colburn Gogoi, and her work links with Pakistan. As per the findings presented by the Chief Minister, she worked with LEAD Pakistan in 2011-12 and later in LEAD India, which investigators say was functioning under the Pakistan office. During this time, she was in contact with Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and reported directly to him from Islamabad.
Financial records cited by the SIT show that large funds came from Pakistan to LEAD India, out of which around ₹82 lakh went to her. She was paid much more than her reporting manager and continued to receive money routed through India. The probe also mentions that she kept bank accounts in Pakistan, did not share details with investigators, and travelled to Islamabad multiple times using land routes.
The Chief Minister also said she prepared a confidential report referring to Intelligence Bureau inputs and suggested a “low visibility” approach for Pakistan-linked activities in India, including working through states instead of the Centre.
The Assam government has called the findings serious, saying the matter involves national security concerns and may need wider investigation beyond the state level.
