KOLKATA: The Sandeshkhali saga took a darker, deadlier turn on December 9 after a key witness against suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan was critically injured in a road accident that claimed the lives of his younger son and driver. The family has categorically accused Shahjahan’s men of orchestrating a murder plot to silence the witness before a crucial court appearance.
The incident occurred near the Boyramari petrol pump on Basanti Highway, when a truck travelling at high speed rammed into the vehicle carrying witness Bholanath Ghosh, his son Satyajit, and their driver Sahanur Molla. The impact was so severe that the car was crushed and dragged several metres before plunging into an adjacent water body. Eyewitnesses reported that the truck came “straight at the car as if aimed,” heightening suspicion of foul play.
Hours before hearing, truck hits car of key Sandeshkhali witness Bholanth Ghosh on his way to the court, driver and son killed. Family blames accused Sheikh Shahjahan
News18's @KamalikaSengupt with details@akankshaswarups | #Sandeshkhali pic.twitter.com/j6PXbhjXfj
— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 10, 2025
Bholanath said that “This was a planned attack, not an accident.” Speaking from his hospital bed, an injured but conscious Bhola Ghosh told the media that the collision was deliberate.
“This is not an accident. This was planned. I know the driver. Shahjahan is behind this,”he said, visibly shaken and grieving the loss of his son. Ghosh said that he and his son were heading to the Basirhat sub-divisional court in connection with one of several cases filed by Shahjahan himself. “They wanted to finish me before the hearing,” he alleged.
Family Outrage: “They killed them to silence Bhola.” Ghosh’s elder son, Biswajit, echoed his father’s claims, alleging a coordinated assassination attempt masterminded by individuals loyal to Shahjahan.
“My father was the target. They staged this. Shahjahan is pulling strings from jail,”
he said. Ghosh’s mother added emotionally, “They planned to kill Bhola. He is the key witness against Shahjahan.”
The deaths of Satyajit and driver Sahanur have amplified the family’s belief that the crash was engineered to intimidate or eliminate key witnesses in the Sandeshkhali-related cases.
#WATCH | Sandeshkhali, West Bengal: The son of a key witness against jailed and suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, in connection with the 2024 attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, was killed in an accident today on his way to… pic.twitter.com/m1RsBuBCY0
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2025
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), already probing multiple cases linked to Shahjahan—including the attack on ED officials earlier this year—has begun a preliminary inquiry into the crash.
Investigators are examining whether the assailants intentionally targeted the car and whether the truck driver acted on the instructions of Shahjahan or his associates. Initial local police assessments noted that the driver abandoned the truck and fled immediately after the crash.
What has further deepened suspicion is that the truck was found precariously perched at the edge of the water body, raising questions about the driver’s intent and speed.
Political Storm Breaks Out
The incident quickly escalated into a political flashpoint, with the BJP slamming the ruling TMC for alleged lawlessness and protection of criminals.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar condemned the incident, stating:
“When the protection of criminals becomes more important than upholding law and order in a state—and when the Chief Minister herself appears desperate to shield such offenders—what could be more appalling?”
In a strongly worded post on X, Majumdar said that the accident bore “all signs of a cold, calculated act of murder”. He claimed that the truck was driven by Abdul Halim Mollah, known to be one of Shahjahan’s closest associates and already listed as a fugitive in CBI records.
“This shows how the notorious criminal Sheikh Shahjahan, even while lodged in jail, is systematically eliminating key witnesses,” he added.
Who Is Sheikh Shahjahan?
Shahjahan, once a powerful TMC leader from Sandeshkhali, rose to prominence as a local enforcer with deep political influence. His control over the region’s political machinery, land networks and local administration made him an indispensable figure in the party’s grassroots structure.
In January 2024, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were allegedly assaulted during a raid at his residence, resulting in nationwide outrage and eventual suspension of Shahjahan by the TMC. He was later arrested in connection with the assault case and multiple other charges, including extortion, land grabbing, and harassment allegations by local women.
