Sandeskhali Prime Accused TMC Leader Sheikh Shahjahan Remanded to 10 Days of Police Custody

TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who was arrested by the Bengal police on Thursday has been remanded to 10 days of police custody by a district court in Basirhat.

Sheikh Shahjahan who was accused of sexual violence and land grab under coercion in the Sadeshkhali village was arrested by the West Bengal police from Minakha in the North 24 Parganas district, where he was hiding. A total of 43 FIRs were filed against Shahjahan and he was arrested against the the complaint that was lodged by the Enforcement Directorate over the January 5 attack. 

The Trinamool Congress leader had evaded the authorities since January 5, following an incident where Enforcement Directorate officials en route to conduct raids at his Sandeshkali residence, investigating an alleged ration distribution scam, were attacked by his supporters. 

The situation in Sandeshkali, worsened as village women armed with various tools like sticks, sickles, and axes, protested on the streets. They accused Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar of land grabbing and sexual harassment.

"All cases filed against Sheikh Shahjahan are based on incidents that have happened 2 or 3 years back, and it takes time to probe into such accusations. However, it would have been easier for us to to probe into the incident that happened recently, that is the January 5 attack on the Enforcement Directorate officials, however, we were restricted by the Calcutta High Court's stay order, and so we could not arrest Sheikh Shahjahan. It has been accused by many that the police wasn't arresting the absconding leader on purpose, however, I would like to say that such accusations are false, baseless and wrong, our hands were tied owing to the stay order. Once the HC clarified its order two days ago we got down to work and arrested Sheikh Shahjahan," said ADG South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar. 

The Bengal police arrested Sheikh Shahjahan two days after the Calcutta High Court had clarifed that there was no order preventing the Bengal 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.

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