Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma files defamation suit against Manish Sisodia

Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has already filed a Rs 100 crore civil defamation case against Sisodia.

माननीय मुख्यमंत्री @himantabiswa जी! यह रहा आपकी पत्नी की JCB इंडस्ट्रीज के नाम 990/- प्रति किट के हिसाब से 5000 किट ख़रीदने का contract… बताइए क्या यह काग़ज़ झूँठा है?

क्या स्वास्थ्यमंत्री रहते अपनी पत्नी की कम्पनी को बिना टेंडर purchase order देना भ्रष्टाचार नहीं है? https://t.co/qHcZYjfkrv pic.twitter.com/XR5q9V2bTe

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) June 4, 2022

Sisodia’s statements were based on a series of reports by Delhi-based news website The Wire, in collaboration with Guwahati-based portal The Cross Current published earlier this week, which alleged that companies linked to Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and his “close” business associates received contracts for emergency medical supplies (including PPE kits and hand sanitisers) at a much higher price than the going rate, and without following a proper tender process. The allegations were based on RTI replies from the state’s National Health Mission (NHM).

Sisodia had said that at the time when the orders were placed, the Assam government was already buying PPE kits at Rs 600 from another company. “But the companies owned by his wife and son’s business partners got the contract at Rs 990 a piece,” he alleged. “The BJP talks a lot about corruption of Opposition politicians, but I want to ask them if they consider this (Sarma’s case) corruption or not,” Sisodia said, referring to the recent arrest of AAP leader Satyendar Jain by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged disproportionate wealth case as “bogus.”

At a time when the entire country was facing the worst pandemic in over 100 years , Assam hardly had any PPE Kits

My wife took the courage of coming forward and donating around 1500 free of cost to the govt to save lives

She didn’t take a single penny. pic.twitter.com/ESPJ64qKen

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 4, 2022

Following the accusations, Sarma hit back at Sisodia, saying he would file a defamation case against him. Defending his wife, Sarma said that she had “donated” the kits, and did not “take a single penny”. “At a time when the entire country was facing the worst pandemic in over 100 years , Assam hardly had any PPE Kits. My wife took the courage of coming forward and donating around 1500 free of cost to the govt to save lives” Sarma tweeted.