Governor CV Ananda Bose has sought clarification from the West Bengal government on why the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)’s block-level functionary leader Shahjahan Sheikh has not been arrested and whether he is in India or has fled the country, an official in his office said.
West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose. (PTI)
“The governor has also directed the state government to fix responsibility for the failure of law and order and punish the police officers who failed in their duties,” said an official.
This came two days after an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked when it tried to raid Sheikh’s house in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. TMC minister Jyoti Priya Mallick has been arrested in the case.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel accompanying the ED team were also allegedly attacked. On Sunday, CRPF and ED officials met Bose.
The ED, which has issued a look-out notice for Sheikh, said his mobile phone’s location showed he was in the house on Friday when the agency’s team went to search his premises.
ED officials suspect Sheikh tried to flee to Bangladesh but failed as the Border Security Force was alerted. The border guarding agency of Bangladesh was also on high alert due to polls in that country.
Police claimed they had no information about the raid and have registered a case against ED based on a complaint from a caretaker at Sheikh’s house. The caretaker accused ED of trying to break into the house without documents.