AMN
The West Bengal CID today refused to hand over the custody of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the state government moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court’s order.
A CBI team that reached the West Bengal police headquarters in Kolkata returned empty-handed after the CID refused to allow the central probe agency to take over the probe into Sandeshkhali attack on the officials of Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in January this year.
Earlier today, the high court had directed the state police to hand over the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation, including the custody of the prime accused and Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh to the central investigating agency.
Soon after the high court order, the West Bengal government moved the Supreme Court, challenging the Calcutta High Court High Court order.
The TMC leader had been evading arrest the January 5 attack on ED officials. While Shahjahan remained in the hiding, several women in Sandeshkhali came out in public and accused him of sexually assaulting them.
Following their accusations, Sandeshkhali became a major flashpoint with the Opposition BJP accusing the state government of trying to shield the TMC leader.
Shahjahan was arrested by the West Bengal police last week from North 24 Parganas district in connection with the alleged assault on the ED officials during a raid in connection with the ration scam case.
During his rally in West Bengal’s Hooghly last week, Prime Minister Modi had also attacked the TMC government and accused the party of protecting Shahjahan Sheikh.