Sheikh Shahjahan, Sandeshkhali Accused Handed Over to CBI

Sheikh Shahjahan, the Sandeshkhali accused, was handed over to the CBI by the West Bengal Police on Wednesday. The police were ordered by the Calcutta High Court to turn over the suspended leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the central agency by 4:15 p.m.

The Calcutta High Court had directed the Crime Investigation Department (CID) to hand over Sheikh Shahjahan to CBI on Tuesday, but the police department didn’t comply with the court’s directives, Citing that the Mamta Banerjee-led government had challenged the high court order in the Supreme Court.

After escaping for almost two months, Shahjahan was apprehended last week. An Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked by Shahjahan’s supporters as they were carrying out a probe on his premises in connection with the ration scam on January 5.

Shahjahan, who is also referred to by his admirers as “Bhai,” joined the TMC in 2013, two years after the Left Front was driven out of office in Bengal by the TMC led by Mamata Banerjee. Many said he was more powerful than several ministers and MLAs.

A police official stated, “Such was his influence that if any villager went to the police to complain about any TMC men, the cops would advise him to approach Shahjahan.”

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Before his arrest, Sheikh Shahjahan was taken for a medical examination at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata.

Shajahan and his supporters were accused of sexual assault, on 18th February several women staged protests holding brooms and sticks against him. The TMC asserted that the HC had stayed in Shahjahan’s arrest when the Calcutta High Court questioned why he was not being detained. The panel of the high court made it clear that the accused had to be taken into custody because there was no such stay.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Sandeshkhali incident has created a tumultuous situation between the TMC and BJP.

Taking a jab at the TMC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today at his rally in Barasat stated, “TMC has committed a grave sin by torturing mothers and sisters. Anybody’s head will hang in shame after seeing what happened in Sandeshkhali. But the TMC is not bothered about your pain. The TMC government is using its full strength to shield the culprits.”