Guwahati: Gauhati High Court advocate and Assam Congress spokesperson, Reetam Singh was arrested by Lakhimpur police on Saturday following a social media post critical of Lakhimpur BJP MLA Manab Deka.
Singh alleged he was taken into custody from his residence without prior notice or a search warrant.
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In his social media posts, he claimed police were “threatening force and entry” and that he had repeatedly requested to see a notice or search warrant under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
He also referenced a Gauhati High Court order dated March 7, 2025, which he claims to have notified Lakhimpur police and the Director General of Assam Police about.
“Police have not informed me anything. They only said that there is a case of cognizable offence against you. So we have come to take you into our custody,” Singh told reporters.
He further stated that his social media post questioned the Assam Police’s action regarding a case registered against MLA Manab Deka at Basistha police station.
“A case was registered against MLA Manab Deka at Basistha police station. On social media, I wrote about it, asking what action the Assam police had taken against him,” Singh said.
The arrest of Singh has sparked a political firestorm, with Congress leaders accusing the BJP-led Assam government of weaponizing the police for political advantage.
Senior Congress leader and MP Gaurav Gogoi strongly condemned the arrest, characterizing it as a manifestation of the BJP government’s authoritarian rule and suppression of dissenting voices.
Gogoi, who is the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, targeted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging the police were being used as a political instrument.
“A team from Lakhimpur police arrived in Guwahati to apprehend Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh. Upon my arrival at his residence, I witnessed his brutal removal and was denied any opportunity to speak with him. Despite repeated requests, the police refused to allow me to communicate with him,” Gogoi said.
He further implicated Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was at the time inaugurating a police academy in Dergaon, of ignoring the alleged political abuse of the Assam police.
“Is Amit Shah aware of the flagrant misuse of police powers under Himanta Biswa Sarma? Just days prior, BJP workers violently assaulted two Assam police constables in broad daylight, yet no action was taken. Why were those perpetrators not apprehended? However, when a Congress leader posts something on social media, the police swiftly move to arrest him as if he were a dangerous criminal,” he added.
Gogoi also voiced deep concerns about the declining integrity of the Assam police, attributing it to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s pressure on law enforcement to carry out politically motivated arrests.
“The Assam police are being coerced into acting against political adversaries, damaging their reputation and exposing them to potential legal repercussions. The Supreme Court has consistently instructed the police to operate within the bounds of the law, yet the Chief Minister persists in using them for political retribution,” Gogoi asserted.
He also questioned the police’s selective enforcement, contrasting their inaction during the brutal assault of two constables in Nagaon with their rapid response to the arrest of a Congress leader over a social media post.
“Where were the police when two of their colleagues were brutally attacked in Nagaon? Why was there no immediate action against BJP thugs? But when it comes to opposition leaders, the police act with alacrity? The BJP is sending a perilous message to the Assam police—remain silent when your colleagues are assaulted, but act aggressively against political opponents,” Gogoi said.