In its letter, the ED sought a hearing in the case on Friday fearing “destruction of evidence” as Shahjahan Sheikh would be in police custody for 10 days. The next hearing in the case is to be held on March 6. The development came hours after the Sheikh, who has been facing allegations of land grab and sexual harassment of local women in Sandeshkhali, was arrested in North 24 Parganas district on Thursday. He was later produced before a local court in Basirhat which sent him to 10 days in police custody.

The TMC strongman had been on the run since January 5 after a group of his supporters attacked a team of ED officials who had gone to Sandeshkhali to raid his residence.

The raid was in alleged connection with the irregularities in the public distribution system in West Bengal. Sheikh is considered close to former state minister Jyoti Priya Mallick who was arrested in connection with the ‘scam’ last year. Mallick had held the food and civil supplies portfolio from 2011 to 2021.

On behalf of the ED, advocate Dheeraj Trivedi wrote to Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, who was heading the division bench which had ordered the stay.
On January 17, a single bench of Justice Jay Sengupta of the Calcutta High Court directed the formation of an SIT headed by two SP-rank officers, one each from the CBI and West Bengal Police to investigate the attack. The central probe agency, however, filed an appeal against the formation of SIT, alleging that the West Bengal Police would not be able to hold an independent probe.

Following the ED appeal, a division bench of the High Court on February 7 ordered a stay on the joint SIT. The court had also restrained the West Bengal Police from proceeding with the investigation in cases registered by it in the attack.

HC to hear PIL seeking transfer of Sandeshkhali probe to CBI on Monday

The Calcutta High Court Thursday said that a PIL praying for transfer of investigation into alleged sexual assault of women at Sandeshkhali to the CBI or an SIT will be listed for hearing on Monday, along with a suo motu motion on the issue.

The suo motu motion of the court pertains to allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing of tribals in the restive Sandeshkhali.

Petitioner-lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava requested the court that his PIL be taken up on Monday along with the suo motu motion. A division bench presided by Chief

Justice T S Sivagnanam said the PIL will be listed for hearing along with the suo motu matter on Monday.