Suspended TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan was on Thursday sent to judicial custody in the Sandeshkhali Enforcement Directorate (ED) assault case.
“Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court ordered judicial custody to Sheikh Shajahan, Mehbur Mulla, and Sukmal Sardar till April 9,” the lawyer representing Sheikh Shahjahan and other accused in the Sandeshkhali ED assault case told ANI.
Earlier, on the directive of the Calcutta High Court, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Kolkata Police handed custody of Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI.
Issuing a contempt notice to the CID, the high court ruled on Wednesday that the case pertaining to the attack on ED officials be handed over to the CBI along with the custody of the prime accused, Shahjahan.
The court further observed that state police played ‘hide and seek’ in the matter.
The accused is a political influencer. The investigation should be handed over to the CBI and the custody of the accused by 4:15 pm today,” the high court observed.
After allegedly evading capture for nearly two months, the suspended TMC leader was apprehended by the West Bengal Police on February 29.
The women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district have accused Shahjahan and his aides of grave excesses and atrocities.
Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion.
(With inputs from ANI)
