Trinamool Congress Leader Sheikh Shahjahan, Accused in Sandeshkhali Case, Finally Apprehended After 55 Days on the Run
Widespread Protests Subside as Bengal Police Arrests Shahjahan Sheikh on Charges of Sexual Atrocities and Land Grabbing
In a significant development, Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case, has been arrested by a special Bengal police team after 55 days of being on the run. The arrest follows a recent order from the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to include Sheikh Shahjahan in the Sandeshkhali case.
Shahjahan and his associates have faced accusations of engaging in sexual atrocities on women and involvement in land grabbing in Sandeshkhali, a region in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. The arrest took place around midnight, and Sheikh Shahjahan is now in 10-day police custody.
Sheikh Shahjahan, a central figure in the January 5, 2024, assault on ED officers, has been apprehended by West Bengal police after over a month on the run. South Bengal ADG Supratim Sarkar stated the case doesn’t involve Section 354 complaints, and Shahjahan will face the Basirhat court. Amid sexual assault allegations dating back two years, investigations, post February 7, 8, 9, require time for evidence gathering. The arrest follows a Calcutta High Court directive, heightening tensions in Sandeshkhali, drawing criticism from BJP’s Amit Malviya and impacting local legal and political dynamics.
Law enforcement officials had been monitoring Shahjahan’s activities for several days leading up to the arrest. The Calcutta High Court Chief Justice’s order on February 26 played a crucial role in expediting the arrest, stating, “There is no reason to not arrest him.”
The ruling Trinamool Congress welcomed the arrest, attributing it to the court’s clearance of hurdles and accusing the opposition of exploiting the earlier “embargo” on Shahjahan’s arrest. However, the BJP criticized the arrest, labeling it as scripted and alleging that Shahjahan was in the safe custody of the West Bengal Police.
Sandeshkhali had been witnessing widespread protests against Sheikh Shahjahan, with a section of women demanding justice for alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader, including land grabbing and sexual assault. Shahjahan, who has been embroiled in multiple criminal cases, including the murder of three BJP workers in 2019, had been on the run since January 5.
The Enforcement Directorate had also accused Sheikh Shahjahan of money laundering in ration and land scams, with additional allegations of violence against power department employees in West Bengal, resulting in an FIR filed against him.
The BJP had accused the Mamata Banerjee government of shielding Sheikh Shahjahan after a mob of his supporters attacked an Enforcement Directorate team conducting raids against him in a corruption case. The arrest is anticipated to have a significant impact on the political landscape in the region, as the legal proceedings against Shahjahan unfold.
