KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday clarified that central agencies such as the CBI or ED would be free to arrest Shahjahan Sheikh, the TMC strongman in Sandeshkhali who is the prime accused behind the unrest on the North 24 Parganas island. The allegations of sexual assault on women in the area and forcible land grabbing by the ruling party’s satraps have led to a national outcry.
The court's clarification came after the ED said in its submission that the state police might dilute the charges against Shahjahan allowing him to get bail.
Responding to the petition by additional solicitor general SV Raju mentioning that the state police would collude with Shahjahan, who has been at large, the division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya said, “The ASG apprehends that if the state police make an arrest, there is a likelihood of the case being diluted as the CBI and ED have serious reservations against the state police and there is an allegation of collusion with the absconding accused. The concerned person has not been apprehended for a substantial period of time. Therefore, it is well open to the CBI or ED also to arrest the absconding accused.”
The bench also clarified that other agencies, like the state police, can arrest Shahjahan as other cases have been registered against the TMC strongman.
The high court heard the case related to the attack on the ED officers on January 5 when they went to raid Shahjahan’s house in connection with a foodgrain scam case in which former food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick was arrested by the ED last year. On Monday, the high court brushed aside TMC’s second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee’s claim that there was a stay on the probe against Shahjahan holding the judiciary responsible for inaction by the state police against the TMC leader. The court made it clear that the stay order was on the constitution of a special investigation team, not on Shahjahan’s arrest.
Referring to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's remark drawing comparisons between the Sandeshkhali episode and the Nandigram and Singur stir against land acquisition, the two movements that the then firebrand opposition leader Mamata Banerjee spearheaded to bring down the Left Front's 34-year regime, the Chief Minister insisted that the two cannot be compared.
“Remember Singur is Singur, Nandigram is Nandigram, Khatra is Khatra and Bishnupur is Bishnupur. Each place has its own characteristics. So do not compare with the other,” she said while addressing a rally in Bankura, carefully not naming Sandeshkhali while making the observation.
Adhikari on Wednesday alleged that Shahjahan is in the “safe custody” of the state police and arrangements for his comfort after arrest were being made. “The scoundrel of Sandeshkhali Sheikh Shahjahan is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajur-II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would be taken of properly while in Police and Judicial Custody. He will be extended 5 star facilities during his time behind the bars lead to the Tolamool Party virtually. Even a bed in the Woodburn Ward will be kept ready and vacant for him if he chooses to spend some time there,” Adhikari said on his X handle.
