Final Up to date: February 29, 2024, 10:54 IST
Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh. (File picture)
Protests are underway in North 24 Parganas district in opposition to Sheikh Shahjahan and his supporters over allegations of land grabbing and sexually abusing native girls
Absconding Trinamool Congress chief Shajahan Sheikh, accused of alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, was arrested on Thursday morning after being on the run for 55 days. In keeping with police, the TMC chief was arrested from a home in Minakhan, round 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans, in North 24 Parganas district.
Sheikh was hiding in the home together with a couple of associates.
After the arrest, he was taken to the Basirhat court docket, round 65 km from Kolkata, the place he’s being saved in a lockup until he’s produced earlier than a decide later within the day. Big police deployments have been made on the court docket premises to take care of the legislation and order scenario.
Extra forces had been additionally deployed in components of Sandeshkhali, which Sheikh is accused of turning into his fiefdom during the last decade, to stop any additional flare-up of the scenario.
He was taken into custody inside 24 hours of the Calcutta Excessive Court docket stating that the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the West Bengal Police can arrest him.
Sheikh was at giant since an ED crew that went to raid his home in reference to the alleged ration rip-off was attacked by a mob of round 1,000 folks on January 5.
In keeping with police, he was traced with the assistance of his cell phone’s tower location.
“Shiekh was altering his location now and again. He was noticed with the assistance of his cell phone’s tower location,” a police officer mentioned.
Who’s Shahjahan Sheikh?
Recognized to residents as ‘Betaj Badshah’, Sheikh Shahjahan is an influential particular person related to Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, a border space within the North 24 Parganas district. Earlier than the TMC chief made headlines after Sandeshkhali allegations, his backers attacked ED and CAPF personnel throughout an try and raid his home in reference to the ration rip-off.
Protests are underway in North 24 Parganas district in opposition to Sheikh Shahjahan and his supporters over allegations of land grabbing and sexually abusing native girls.
Sheikh has been absconding since an Enforcement Directorate crew that raided his home in reference to an alleged ration rip-off was attacked by a mob final month.
An accused in lots of instances, Sheikh was born into a particularly poor household however locals his identify is now a pressure to reckon with in Sandeshkhali. A lot of the complainants claimed that Shajahan was actively concerned within the forcible acquisition of their land and the torturing of native girls.
Whereas Shahjahan holds the put up of zilla parishad on this space, his profession began with the Left regime in 2006. He started as an in depth aide of CPI(M) chief Moslem Sheikh, on whose behalf he would acquire cash and step by step started to dabble in actual property and fisheries on this space.
Sheikh joined the Trinamool Congress in 2013 and, since, has change into near former minister Jyotipriyo Mallick.
In 2019 when three folks had been killed in a BJP-TMC conflict, Sheikh’s identify was linked to the incident, nevertheless, the TMC chief mentioned it was solely to malign his picture.
Locals say Sheikh has alleged involvement in varied unlawful actions since 2006 however no motion was taken in opposition to him as a result of his closeness with highly effective TMC leaders. Sources alleged that he helped rig the elections within the space and, subsequently, was essential to the political celebration in energy.
 political party in West Bengal, India. He is currently facing accusations of sexual assault and land grabbing in the Sandeshkhali area Where Is He Now and more at news18.com){kind=link}