Amidst nationwide outrage, the Sandeshkhali case from West Bengal, which revolves around allegations of sexual abuse and land grabbing by a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, has now landed in the Supreme Court. Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) urging for an impartial investigation by either a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the allegations. The petition also demands disciplinary action against the responsible police officers and compensation for the victims.
The tumult in Sandeshkhali was triggered on January 5 after an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the residence of Trinamool strongman Shajahan Shiekh, linked to a multi-crore ration distribution scam. Subsequently, Shajahan’s associates allegedly assaulted ED officers, leading to a chaotic situation that escalated into a political storm.
Women in Sandeshkhali have come forward with accusations of land grabbing and years of torture and sexual harassment. One victim detailed how Trinamool leaders targeted women by coercing their husbands into compliance through violence, stating, “They targeted women by picking up their husbands and beating them up with a stick in the party office. If we refused to go to the party office, they would pick up the men and thrash them so we would be forced to go.”
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While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lambasted the Trinamool Congress government in the state over the allegations, the ruling party has dismissed the charges, accusing the BJP of instigating unrest in the area. Numerous incidents of violence have been reported in the region.
Following a visit to Sandeshkhali, Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose described the situation as “ghastly, shocking, shattering” and submitted a report attributing blame to law enforcement for collaborating with “rowdy elements” in the area. He recommended the formation of a Special Task Force to investigate the allegations.
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