KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court has ordered a CBI investigation into three murder cases which took place six years ago at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. In 2019, three BJP workers were allegedly murdered and Shahjahan Sheikh, who is currently suspended from the Trinamool Congress, was allegedly involved in all three cases.
Ordering a CBI probe, Justice Joy Sengupta also directed the central agency to form an SIT for investigation.
On June 8, 2019, Pradeep Mandal, Devdas Mandal and Sukanta Mandal, residents of Sandeshkhali, were allegedly murdered. All three deceased were BJP workers. Shahjahan's name was in the initial charge sheet of the murder case.
But later, the family claimed that his name was dropped from the charge sheet when the CID took over the investigation. Not only that, Shahjahan's name also appeared in the charge sheet of another murder case in 2022. But he was later granted bail in that case.
Shahjahan rose to ‘ill fame’ when a mob attacked the ED officials and paramilitary personnel after they came to Shahjahan's house at Sandeshkhali for conducting an investigation into a ration corruption case in early 2024.
A large section of locals, especially women rose against Shahjahan and his close associates. Various allegations were made against Shahjahan and his gang, such as forcibly occupying the agricultural land of many people in the area, building fish ponds on the occupied land and torturing the local women. As soon as the allegations came to light, opposition parties including the BJP took to the streets in protest. Shahjahan was later arrested and was suspended from the Trinamool Congress subsequently.