Day after attack on ED officials, hunt begins for TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan
Times of India | 7 January 2024
SANDESHKHALI: A look out circular (LoC) was issued Saturday against Sheikh Shahjahan over Friday's attack on ED officers in Bengal's Sandeshkhali and the BSF alerted to prevent a possible crossover to Bangladesh even as a purported audio clip surfaced in which the TMC strongman asserted he had "done nothing wrong" and had "nothing to fear" from central agencies.
Three FIRs were filed Saturday, one on the basis of an ED email to DGP Rajeev Kumar and local Basirhat SP Joby Thomas detailing the attack on the ED team - which was probing a ration scam - along with video footage. The second FIR was on a complaint by Shahjahan's caretaker against the ED officials alleging criminal trespass. The third was a suo motu FIR by police against the violence.
SP Thomas said they were investigating both FIRs - attempts-to-murder by ED and criminal trespass (IPC Section 447) by Shahjahan's caretaker. "We are trying to identify the culprits among the crowd during the attack. No one has been arrested."
The ED did not comment on the unverified audio clip. In it, Shahjahan is purportedly heard saying: "I should be beheaded if I have done anything wrong. There is nothing to fear from ED and CBI because all right-minded people know this is nothing but a political conspiracy. They (BJP) feel by suppressing me, TMC can be wiped out of Sandeshkhali. But there are thousands of Sheikh Shahjahan. There is nothing to fear because death is inevitable."
The clip and the cases came amid an intensifying war of words between political parties over the attack on the ED team. BJP also staged demonstrations in different parts of the stat on Saturday over the attack.
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