The West Bengal government on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order directing that the case about the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation, reported Bar and Bench.
On January 5, the Enforcement Directorate officials were allegedly attacked when they were carrying out raids at the house of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam.
Sheikh was arrested by the police on February 29.
On Tuesday, a High Court bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya overturned an earlier order under which a Special Investigation Team comprising members of the state police was constituted to investigate the matter.
The court also directed West Bengal to transfer the custody of Sheikh and all documents related to the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Hours later, the West Bengal government challenged the High Court’s order before a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The Supreme Court directed the papers to be placed before the Chief Justice of India for case to be listed.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday registered a first information report in the case, reported The Indian Express. A team of the central agency, accompanied by paramilitary personnel, arrived at the Crime Investigation Department in Kolkata to take Sheikh into custody.
The police, however, refused to hand him over, saying the matter was before the court.
Sheikh and his associates Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar have also been accused by several women in Sandeshkhali of sexual assault and land-grabbing. The women have alleged that Sheikh and his associates used to survey homes to look for young women, whom they would take to the party office and sexually assault.
While Sardar was arrested on February 11, Hazra was arrested on February 17.
On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 12.78 crore linked to Sheikh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, reported The Indian Express.
NCW chief recommends President’s rule
National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma on Tuesday met with President Droupadi Murmu and recommended President’s rule in West Bengal, citing the allegations of sexual assault and violence in Sandeshkhali, reported PTI.
“Sandeshkhali is not an isolated incident,” Sharma told the news agency after meeting Murmu. “Previously also, many incidents of violence have been reported in the state and no action has been taken by the state government.”
Sharma said the president told her she was aware of the situation in Sandeshkhali and was closely monitoring it.
In February, National Commission for Scheduled Castes chief Arun Halder had also recommended that President’s ule be imposed in West Bengal.
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