KOLKATA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered it's first FIR against five persons including suspended Trinamul Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, who was later arrested, for their role in the sexual assault on women and land grab at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas of West Bengal.
A CBI spokesperson on Thursday confirmed the registration of the case against five individuals and "unknown others." He however did not specify the charges in the FIR. According to sources, the FIR carries the sections of sexual assault, physical assault, forcible occupation of property (land), criminal intimidation among others.
The CBI's FIR came on the direction of the Calcutta High Court. On April 10, a division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya of the HC directed the CBI to probe the violence against women and land grab by the TMC workers at Sandeshkhali.
Earlier the state police investigated the cases of Sandeshkhali violence and arrested Shahjahan in the face of a massive public outcry. The HC bench had also asked the CBI then to ensure the complaints’ confidentiality and ordered the agency to open a dedicated portal/email ID to accept complaints.
