Kolkata: In this regard, police arrested Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, the main accused of the Sandeshkhali case. They have been charged with sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
He was arrested by a special Bengal police team from the North 24 Parganas district around midnight. He had been absconding for 55 days. After the arrest, he was taken to the Basirhat Court.
According to the official, the team was keeping a track on the activities of the leader for a few days before the arrest.
Three days after the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice gave orders to add Sheikh Shahjahan to the Sandeshkhali case, he is being put under arrest.
On February 26, HC Calcutta Justice directed the notice to issue in the case and said, “There is no reason for not arresting him.”
“Public notice shall be given in this case. There is no stay order in Sandeshkhali cases. There is no reason not to arrest him,” the Court said.
The ruling Trinamool Congress hailed the arrest, saying it was made possible only after the Court cleared the decks. While the party accused the opposition of exploiting the earlier “embargo” on his arrest, the BJP labeled the arrest as scripted and claimed he was under the protective custody of West Bengal Police.
Sandeshkhali has seen intense protests this month against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, with women demanding justice for his alleged crimes.
Numerous women in Sandeshkhali have accused Sheikh and his supporters of land grabbing and sexual assault. Sheikh, who had evaded capture since January 5, was already notorious for his involvement in several crimes, including the murder of three BJP workers in 2019.
The Enforcement Directorate accuses Sheikh of money laundering in connection with ration and land scams. He is also implicated in violence against West Bengal’s power department employees, leading to an FIR against him.
The BJP criticized the Mamata Banerjee administration for allegedly protecting Sheikh after his supporters attacked an ED team investigating him for corruption.
