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CBI’s SIT, Bengal police to trace TMC leader in Sandeshkhali case: Calcutta HC
The North 24 Parganas police had arrested seven villagers until Tuesday in connection with the attack on ED officials earlier this month
Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Wednesday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and West Bengal police to trace Sheikh Shahjahan, the absconding Trinamool Congress leader from Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, who allegedly masterminded the January 5 attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during a raid at his residence in connection with the public distribution system scam, lawyers who represented the federal agencies in court said.
The single bench of justice Jay Sengupta ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) comprising equal number of officers from CBI and the state police and said no officer from police stations in North 24 Parganas should be deployed in the investigation.
The SIT can seek assistance from central paramilitary forces to conduct raids, the court said.
“The bench said that report of the SIT’s investigation cannot be submitted before any other court without its permission. The bench will hear the case again on February 12. The CBI and state police teams will be headed by officers of the rank of superintendent of police,” a lawyer said on condition of anonymity.
“The CBI expressed its reservation about conducting a joint investigation with the state police saying the latter have never cooperated with federal agencies but the court did not pay any heed to this. During the hearing, the judge criticized the local police and ED for failing to trace Sheikh Shahjahan in 12 days,” the lawyer added.
“We are waiting for the official copy of the court order. We have to seek legal opinion since federal agencies follow Central government rules to start investigations,” said a CBI officer, asking not to be named.
On Tuesday, justice Sengupta ordered installation of security cameras at the home and business establishments of Sheikh Shahjahan. The order was carried out by local police on Wednesday.
Also Read: Sandeshkhali attack case: Calcutta HC orders interim stay on FIR against ED officials
“The police came and instSheikh Alamgiralled the cameras. I haven’t had any contact with my brother since the incident. I have no idea where he is,” , the TMC leader’s younger brother, told the media even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused TMC of shielding the suspect.
Reacting to the court proceedings, Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said: “We welcome it but can anyone trust the state police? We have heard from local people that Shahjahan has been seen at Sarberia, Dhamakhali and other locations. The police could have easily nabbed him but it cannot take any action unless the green signal comes from top TMC leaders.”
TMC Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen said: “We won’t comment on today’s order but it is public knowledge that the high court pulled up CBI several times in the past for its failure to complete investigations. For example, CBI is yet to recover Rabindranath Tagore’s Nobel prize medallion which was stolen from Santiniketan in 2004.”
The North 24 Parganas police had arrested seven villagers until Tuesday in connection with the attack on ED officials. Three ED officials were admitted in hospital with multiple injuries after they fled Sandeshkhali on January 5. Their vehicles were vandalised despite the presence of armed central paramilitary personnel who escorted them. Media persons covering the raid were attacked too.
The federal agency has told the high court that Shahjahan is a suspect in the alleged public distribution system scam in which the agency arrested former food minister Jyotipriya Mallick on October 27. Mallick is currently in judicial custody.
The local police are conducting investigations against the ED as well.
The police registered a case based on a complaint lodged by Didar Baksh Mollah, the caretaker of the TMC leader’s home. Mollah alleged that a sum of ₹1.35 lakh and some documents were stolen during raid although the ED team members claimed they could not even enter the house because it was locked from inside. Shahjahan was in the building at that time, ED has told the high court.
The police have also pressed charges against unnamed ED officials under Sections 354 (assault on woman to outrage modesty), 447 (criminal trespass) and 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code. The FIR was registered at the Nazat police station.
ED moved the Calcutta high court on January 10 challenging the FIR.
