Gill, a former Assam cadre IPS officer who was posted here as DIG in the early eighties before being shifted to Punjab, was in Assam in his capacity as president of the Indian Hockey Federation to attend a function regarding the inter-district hockey competition.

Gill met Mahanta and is understood to have discussed the law and order scenario. But officials termed it a "courtesy visit''. Last year, the Assam Government initiated moves to make use of Gill's services as a security advisor. But the moves fell through because of his involvement in the Rupan Deol Bajaj case.

During last week's visit to Assam, Gill met several senior police officials and is said to have discussed the on-going counter-insurgency operations. Interestingly,Gill is reported to have said that the Assam situation is ``not as bad as is seen from outside''. He attributed this ``bad picture'' to a section of the media, which is ``creating unnecessary confusion''-- like this time when it has linked his visit to the anti-insurgency operations in the State.

Gill has also denied receiving any invitation from the Assam Government for joining as security advisor to the Chief Minister.