Reported By: Kamalika Sengupta
Final Up to date: March 06, 2024, 19:12 IST
Kolkata [Calcutta], India
Former Trinamool Congress chief Shahjahan Sheikh. (PTI photograph)
West Bengal police hand over TMC chief Shahjahan Sheikh to CBI amid political tussle. Excessive Court docket orders switch of custody in ED officers assault case
West Bengal police handed over TMC chief Shahjahan Sheikh to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday amid an ongoing political tussle between the central and state governments over the accused within the Sandeshkhali violence case.
This comes after Shahjahan was dropped at Bhabani Bhavan in Kolkata after a medical checkup at SSKM Hospital. A CBI crew reached the West Bengal Police headquarters in Kolkata earlier as we speak to take custody of the TMC chief.
VIDEO | TMC chief Shajahan Sheikh dropped at Bhabani Bhavan in Kolkata after a medical checkup at SSKM Hospital.A crew of CBI had reached West Bengal Police headquarters at Bhabani Bhawan in Kolkata earlier as we speak to take custody of Shajahan Sheikh, accused within the #Sandeshkhali… pic.twitter.com/yU5zFln4CI
— Press Belief of India (@PTI_News) March 6, 2024
The BJP dubbed it as a matter of “nice disgrace” that the Trinamool Congress authorities was opposing the Calcutta Excessive Court docket order handy over the custody of the suspended TMC chief to the CBI within the ED officers assault case. Addressing a press convention, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri mentioned the state authorities’s resolution to maneuver the Supreme Court docket in opposition to the excessive courtroom order displays its “worth system”.
The BJP chief mentioned the TMC is just not denying the offence and has gone on to offer “political cowl” to Sheikh. It isn’t the accused however the state that has gone in attraction to the Supreme Court docket, he mentioned. “The state authorities permits such incidents to occur after which does this,” the minister mentioned, including that it was a matter of “nice disgrace”.
The excessive courtroom had on Tuesday directed the investigation right into a mob assault on ED officers – once they went to look the premises of Sheikh in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5 in reference to a ration rip-off probe – to be transferred to the CBI. It additionally requested the state police to offer the custody of the accused to the CBI. Sheikh has additionally been accused by many ladies in Sandeshkhali of working a hoop of criminals, allegedly linked to him and to the TMC, who captured land and sexually assaulted them.
The West Bengal police on Tuesday refused to offer his custody to the CBI, claiming that the state has filed an attraction within the Supreme Court docket in opposition to its order. On Wednesday, the excessive courtroom once more ordered the West Bengal authorities handy over Sheikh to the CBI by 4.15 pm. Puri additionally quoted from the excessive courtroom’s Tuesday order which criticised the “biased” state police for “making each effort to delay” the investigation. BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi mentioned it’s shameful that such a improvement is going on in a state dominated by a lady chief minister, a reference to TMC president Mamata Banerjee.
Taking a swipe on the state authorities, she requested what’s the purpose that it’s making an attempt to “defend” Sheikh and asserted that the agitation has been spearheaded by ladies in Sandeshkhali. To a query on whether or not the Centre could impose the President’s rule within the state, Puri mentioned it’s a “political name” and “past” his “pay grade”. “All people is aware of that there’s a breakdown in legislation and order in Bengal,” he mentioned, noting that the BJP usually permits democratically-elected governments to proceed, in contrast to the Congress which had dismissed over 100 of them. Individuals will certainly give a reply to the TMC, he mentioned.
(With company inputs)
