Sandeshkhali Case: Bengal Govt Moves SC Against Calcutta HC Ordering CBI Probe

Sandeshkhali News: The matter will be heard on April 29 by the bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

Former Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accused in the Sandeshkhali case.

Sandeshkhali News: The West Bengal government on Friday moved Supreme Court challenging the decision of Calcutta High Court directing CBI probe in connection with the allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali, as reported by news agency ANI. The matter will be heard on April 29 by the bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

West Bengal Govt moves Supreme Court challenging Calcutta High Court decision directing CBI probe in connection with the allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali.

The matter will be heard on April 29 by the Supreme Court's bench of justices BR Gavai and…

— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2024

In its plea, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government said that the High Court failed to consider the underlying political motive in the case. It further stated that extensive steps taken by the state police in the matter were completely ignored by the High Court, and the transfer of the probe to the CBI in a cursory manner is a violation of the law.

“Impugned Order, which on one hand has called for a report from the CBI on the investigation has further painted the entire state machinery at fault attributing culpability of the State Officials in the land grabbing allegations, which prima facie are unwarranted,” the plea said, as quoted by News 18.

Last month, the apex court refused to interfere with the Calcutta HC order transferring investigation against arrested Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh in the alleged attack on Enforcement Directorate officers, to the CBI.

Meanwhile, the probe agency seized arms and ammunition, including foreign-made pistols, during its searches at multiple locations in Sandeshkhali on Friday in connection with an attack on an Enforcement Directorate team by a mob allegedly instigated by local TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, PTI reported, citing officials.

The team was attacked in Sandeshkhali on January 5 when it had gone to raid the premises of Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration scam. The CBI during its probe got inputs of a large cache of arms hidden in Sandeshkhali. On Friday morning, a CBI team started a search operation during which the arms, including foreign-made pistols, were seized, the officials said.

On the orders of the Calcutta High Court, the central agency had registered three FIRs related to the incidents on January 5 . The FIRs pertain to alleged attack on ED officers by a mob on the complaint by officers, allegations against ED officials levelled by the guard of suspended TMC leader Sheikh and a suo motu case registered by the Nazat police station about the attack on ED officers.

Sheikh was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack. After the attack by a mob of around 1,000 people in which three ED officials were injured, a deputy director of the agency had given a complaint to the superintendent of police, Basirhat.