Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has filed an FIR at the Parliament Street police station in New Delhi against a forged letter that has been circulating on social media. This letter falsely claims to be from Sonowal and calls for “course correction” ahead of the upcoming Assam assembly elections. The document, allegedly issued on his official letterhead and featuring a fake signature, was addressed to the national president of the BJP and discussed the “ground situation” in Assam while urging significant changes before the polls.
Sonowal, a former chief minister of Assam, vehemently denounced the letter, labeling it “completely fake and fabricated.” In a message posted on X, he stated, “It has come to my notice that a forged letter bearing the official letterhead and fake signature of Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is being circulated by miscreants with malafide intent.” He described the act as a “serious criminal offence involving forgery, impersonation, and misuse of official government identity,” aimed at spreading misinformation and damaging the reputation of a constitutional authority.
The FIR, lodged by Sonowal’s assistant private secretary Mukul Chandra Lahkar, claims the fraudulent letter was crafted with “malafide intent for spreading blatant falsehood towards nefarious political ends” and seeks to create division in a state gearing up for elections. It emphasizes that Sonowal’s reputation has been deliberately targeted.
Authorities have been instructed to prioritize the investigation and take stringent action against those responsible. The FIR has been assigned to Sub-Inspector Mohit Kumar for further inquiry. Sonowal also urged the public and media not to trust or disseminate such fraudulent material, advocating that information should be verified through official sources only. His office stated that the forged document was intended to mislead voters and tarnish his image at this critical time as Assam approaches the elections. The BJP has condemned the letter as a malicious attempt to create confusion and sabotage its campaign.
