A Guwahati court on Saturday ordered registration of an FIR against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over his inflammatory remarks in connection with the police violence against Muslims during an eviction drive in the state’s Darang district.

In his speech, Sarma had referred to the violence as an act of revenge. Reacting to the same, Kamrup Metro district Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate B Baruah observed that it was mandatory for the police to have registered an FIR in connection with Sarma’s December 2021 speech.

“The veracity of the allegations is not something which can be enquired prior to the registration of the FIR. By failing to even register the FIR, it appears that the police has failed in the discharge of its duty,” the court said.

The court was hearing a case based on a complaint filed by Abdul Khaleque, Member of Parliament from the Congress party.

A large number of people were subjected to police brutality in September 2021. Two men were killed during the incident. One cameraman, Bijoy Bania, was seen jumping on the motionless body of one victim, Moinul Haque.