Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh, facing accusations of sexual atrocities and land grab in Sandeshkhali, was apprehended on Thursday after 55 days of evading authorities. Officials confirmed his arrest from the fish farming area in Minakhan, with plans to present him in the Basirhat court around 2 pm. The ADG South is scheduled to address the media at the SDPO Minakhan office at Malancha at 9 am.
On the Run Since Ration Scam Attack
Shahjahan Sheikh had been on the run since January 5, when Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials attempting to raid his house in connection with a ration scam were attacked and chased away. The Calcutta High Court clarified on Monday that there was no stay on his arrest, emphasizing that a stay on investigation doesn’t imply a stay on arrest.
TMC’s Response and High Court Order
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee stated that the government was not shielding Sheikh, but merely complying with the high court’s orders. The arrest follows the High Court’s assertion that there is no impediment to Sheikh’s arrest, as he is named in an FIR and branded as an accused.
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Praise and Demands from TMC Leaders
Reacting to the arrest, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh commended the Bengal police for cracking down on the Sandeshkhali accused. He called for the arrest of BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Mithun Chakraborty, both named in FIRs in separate cases, and demanded the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Singh.
Arrest Precedes PM Modi’s Bengal Visit
The arrest precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Bengal, where he is scheduled to address public gatherings in Hooghly and Nadia districts and inaugurate numerous projects.
Who is Shahjahan Sheikh?
Known locally as ‘Betaj Badshah,’ Sheikh Shahjahan is an influential figure associated with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district. Having faced legal issues since 2006, Sheikh has a history in the region, initially working as an agent at a fish market in Sandeshkhali.