'Now We Know Why ED & CBI Were Denied Entry': BJP's Agnimitra Paul Slams TMC Over Sandeshkhali Raids

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul alleged that the TMC was thinking of spreading terrorism by using the arms and ammunition recovered during the raids in Sandeshkhali on April 26.

A day after the Central Bureau of Investigation recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from Sandeshkhali, BJP leader Agnimitra Paul slammed the Trinamool Congress and CM Mamata Banerjee for it saying that it was "now clear why the Enforcement Directorate and CBI were denied entry into Sandeshkhali". She further alleged that the TMC was thinking of "spreading terrorism using the arms and ammunition" recovered during the raids, and added that the people of West Bengal will respond to this on June 4, the day when the vote count will be done.

The saffron party's candidate from Bengal's Medinipur launched scathing attacks at the TMC chief saying, "Mamata Banerjee is the police minister, what her police personnel was doing? sleeping? Today we came to know why ED and CBI were not permitted to enter in Sandeshkhali. What they were actually thinking that they would spread terrorism by using these arms and ammunition...The people of West Bengal will give a befitting reply on June 4."

Meanwhile, agitated by the raids in the state, the TMC on Saturday wrote to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, condemning the raids conducted by CBI in Sandeshkhali on April 26, when certain Lok Sabha constituencies in Bengal were casting ballots during the second phase of the elections.

TMC accused the poll body of turning a “blind eye” to the actions of the central probe agencies, particularly during election periods. 

CBI Recovers Cache Of Arms & Ammunition During Raids In Sandeshkhali 

CBI on Friday conducted searches in Sandeshkhali during which it recovered a large number of arms and ammunition including foreign-made pistols and revolvers.

Besides CBI, the National Security Guard (NSG), the bomb detection squad, central paramilitary forces and the West Bengal Police were also involved in the searches at the village, located on the fringes of the Sunderbans in Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

The raid was conducted in connection with the attack on an ED team in January by a mob allegedly instigated by now-suspended and jailed TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh.

The probe agency recovered an Indian revolver, 3 foreign-made revolvers, a country-made pistol and bullets. CBI also stated that many incriminating documents related to Sheikh Shahjahan were also recovered.