TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, the main accused in the sexual abuse and land-grabbing case at Sandeshkhali, was sent to 10-day police custody by the Basirhat court on Thursday. Shahjahan, who was absconding for the last 55 days, was arrested by the West Bengal police on Wednesday night.
Shahjahan, who has been absconding for the past 55 days, was nabbed from a house in Bamanpukur in the Minakhan police station area, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans, in North 24 Parganas district. He was arrested in the case wherein his supporters assaulted Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on January 5 during a raid at his house in a ration scam case.
He was booked under IPC sections 147 (guilty of rioting), 148 (guilty of rioting being armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 307 (attempt to murder), 333 (whoever voluntarily causes grievous hurt to any person being a public servant) and 392 (robbery).
Shahjahan was seen walking to the courtroom, accompanied by policemen, at around 10:40 am on Thursday. The hearing lasted just two minutes after which he was whisked away by the police.
Governor CV Ananda Bose, who had on Monday night given a 72-hour “deadline” to the state government for Sheikh’s arrest, said, “There is always light at the end of the tunnel. I welcome it.”
“This is the beginning of an end. We have to put an end to the cycle of violence in Bengal. In parts of Bengal, the goons are ruling the roost. This must end and the gangsters should be put behind bars,” he told reporters.
Soon after his arrest, the Trinamool Congress suspended its leader Shahjahan Sheikh for six years. Announcing the decision, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said, “We have decided to suspend Shajahan Sheikh from the party for six years. As always, we walk the talk. We have set examples in the past, and we are doing that today.”
He added, “But we dare the BJP to suspend leaders, who have corruption cases against them and have several criminal cases against them.” O’Brien dared the BJP to take action against former Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan who is facing charges for sexual harassment.
