TMC says Bengal police arrested Shajahan after court cleared the decks; BJP dubs it scripted
Times of India | 29 February 2024
KOLKATA: The ruling Trinamool Congress has praised the arrest of Shajahan Sheikh, a party leader accused of tormenting villagers in the troubled Sandeshkhali area. The party stated that Sheikh's arrest was made possible after the court cleared the way, accusing the opposition of taking advantage of the previous restrictions on his arrest. However, the BJP claims that Sheikh's arrest was pre-planned and that he was in the custody of the West Bengal Police.
Sheikh, who was accused of sexual offenses against women and land grabbing in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, was apprehended on Thursday morning. He was found hiding in a house in the North 24 Parganas district.
According to TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, Sheikh faced legal complications that initially prevented his arrest. However, once the court clarified that there was no stay on his arrest, the West Bengal Police took action. Ghosh further criticized the opposition for exploiting the restrictions on Sheikh's arrest. The Calcutta High Court had recently ruled that Sheikh could be arrested by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), or the West Bengal Police.
Previously, the high court had ordered the police to arrest Sheikh within seven days. The ruling party stated that it does not protect wrongdoers and expressed confidence in the state police's ability to carry out the arrest. Additionally, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh called for the CBI and ED to take action against BJP leaders who are also facing allegations of corruption and other crimes.
On the other hand, the BJP, which previously claimed that Sheikh was in the custody of the state police, dismissed his arrest as a pre-planned event. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar accused the TMC and the state police of protecting the accused, stating that Sheikh's arrest was a result of the continuous agitation by the state BJP unit.
The Sandeshkhali area, located on the borders of the Sunderbans and approximately 100 kilometers from Kolkata, has been experiencing unrest for over a month. The protests are in response to allegations of sexual abuse and land grabbing against local TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters. Sheikh had been evading arrest since January 5, when an ED team conducting a raid at his house was attacked by a mob of around 1,000 people.