TMC Assures Arrest of Absconding Leader Shahjahan Sheikh After Court Order
Kolkata: Facing the heat of the Calcutta high court on Monday, West Bengal's ruling Trinamul Congress has assured that its absconding strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, the prime accused behind large-scale atrocities, including sexual assault on women and land grab, at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, would be arrested within a week.
The assurance from the TMC came hours after a division bench, comprising Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, of the high court made it clear that there was no bar earlier in arresting Shahjahan and ordered the state police to arrest him.
Hearing a suo moto matter, registered by a single bench of the HC, during the day, the bench held: “The advocates submitted that a wrong impression has been created that a stay order on the arrest of the person has been granted. There is nothing on record staying the arrest and therefore the said person shall be arrested by the police authorities.”
The HC direction deals a severe blow to the TMC which was alleging that the “hands” of the state police had been tied by the HC earlier in catching Shahjahan in a case filed by the Enforcement Directorate into the violent mob attack on its team for raiding his house in the ration scam last month.
Even on Sunday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s MP nephew Abhishek Banerjee echoed the same logic. The HC division bench, however, observed that only the probe by a special investigation team, comprising the ED and the state police, into the case of the mob attack had been stayed.
Later, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh posted on X: “Abhishek’s statement was correct on the arrest of Shahjahan. The issue was stuck in a legal tangle of the court. The Opposition took advantage and was playing politics. Thanks to the high court for untying the tangle and approving the police to take action. Shahjahan will be arrested within seven days.”
Meanwhile, an aide of Shahjahan, Ajit Maity, was arrested by the police in the morning following a huge protest by the villagers at Sandeshkhali. He returned home on Sunday after escaping mob fury last week.