The Supreme Court has decided to defer the hearing on the Sandeshkhali case for a week, following a request by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represents the state government. This postponement occurred during the hearing on the West Bengal government’s appeal against the Kolkata High Court’s order for a CBI investigation. The Supreme Court is expected to resume hearing the state government’s petition in the second week of July. Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, has challenged the Calcutta High Court’s directive for a CBI probe into the Sandeshkhali case, which involves allegations of rape and land grabbing against the government. Recently, the Calcutta High Court ruled in favor of a CBI investigation and announced its intention to oversee the process. It also instructed the CBI to create a dedicated email address for women to submit complaints, resulting in numerous submissions and the initiation of a fresh FIR.
The High Court’s decision to transfer the Sandeshkhali cases to the CBI was prompted by allegations of extortion, land seizure, and sexual assault in the region, particularly during the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The court also committed to monitoring the investigation into the assault on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5. This incident occurred when a mob attacked ED officers during a raid on the residence of TMC leader Sheikh Shah Shahjahan as part of an inquiry into a ration scam. Allegations suggest that Shahjahan Sheikh instigated the mob attack against the investigating officers, prompting the High Court to rebuke the Bengal government and stress the necessity of an impartial inquiry given the complexity of the Sandeshkhali cases.
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Multiple petitions concerning Sandeshkhali have been filed in the High Court, advocating for external investigations into the surrounding allegations. During court proceedings, the High Court admonished the Bengal government, asserting that even if a fraction of the accusations were true, it would be highly disgraceful. The genesis of the controversy dates back to January 2024, when a raid on the home of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan resulted in a violent altercation between his supporters and law enforcement. Shahjahan faces allegations of sexual misconduct and land usurpation in the Sandeshkhali case, despite his suspension from the TMC. The controversy persists, with a recent raid on the residence of a close associate uncovering a substantial cache of foreign firearms and ammunition, necessitating the deployment of NSG bomb squads and robot teams to neutralize explosives.
