NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said filed a Rs 500 crore defamation case against Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Jitendra Singh and Bhupesh Baghel, accusing them of making false and defamatory allegations against him. In a post on X, Sarma said the case followed remarks made at a Congress press conference. “Today, I have filed a defamation case seeking ₹500 crore in damages against Congress leaders Jitendra Singh, Bhupesh Baghel and Gaurav Gogoi for making false, malicious and defamatory allegations against me through a press conference,” he wrote. The Assam chief minister said he was initiating both civil and criminal proceedings. “I am initiating civil and criminal defamation proceedings on 9 February 2026 against @JitendraSAlwar, @bhupeshbaghel, @GauravGogoiAsm and @DsaikiaOfficial for making false, malicious and defamatory statements against me in today’s press conference,” Sarma said.“The era of hit-and-run politics is over. If they have even an ounce of courage or evidence, let them prove every allegation before a court of law,” he said, adding, “I will not be intimidated by propaganda, coordinated slander, or political theatrics of so called slaves of Gandhi family,” he added. There was no immediate response from the Congress leaders named in the defamation case.