Calcutta High Court orders the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan, clarifies that no stay order has been granted over arrest of the TMC leader

The Calcutta High Court on Monday stated that there is no order preventing the Bengal Police from arresting Sheikh Shahjahan, Trinamool Congress leader of West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali accused of sexual harassment and land grab.

In its ruling, the Calcutta High Court clarified that no stay order prevents the police from arresting Sheikh Shahjahan. “The advocates submitted that a wrong impression has been created that a stay order on the arrest of the person has been granted. There is nothing on record staying the arrest and therefore the said person shall be arrested by the police authorities,” noted the Calcutta High Court.

This order comes a day after Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had hit out at the judiciary for allegedly “guarding” Sheikh Shahjahan. “This is to inform all the people who harbour doubts about Sandeshkhali, the Enforcement Directorate officials had alleged that on January 5 they were attacked and they had filed an FIR. The Calcutta High Court had then ordered that an SIT would be formed to probe into the issue and ensure that justice is served. The Enforcement Directorate had then appealed to the Calcutta High Court and asked for a stay on the order, and the stay order was passed. The imposition of the stay order hindered the proceedings of the investigation; it tied the hands of the state government, and it prevented the arrest of the culprits…Trinamool is not guarding Sheikh Shahjahan but the judiciary is. This is to ensure that Sandeshkhali remains in the news. Lift the stay and see what the state police do,” said Banerjee.

Sheikh Shahjahan has been on the run after Enforcement Directorate officials were attacked en route to raiding his house in connection to the ration distribution scam. The issue snowballed and violent protests erupted in Sandeshkhali on February 10 demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. The women of the village wielding sticks, brooms, sickles and axes took to the streets and levelled charges of sexual harassment and land grab against Shahjahan and his aides. While Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra have been arrested by the police, Sheikh Shahjahan continues to be on the run.