Sandeskhali ED attack case: West Bengal Police refuse to handover Sheikh Shajahan's custody to CBI

A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) departed from Kolkata's police headquarters after the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) did not transfer custody of Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI. This action was due to the state government appealing to the Supreme Court over this issue.

This comes after the Calcutta High Court issued a directive for the CBI to take over the case involving the attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali and the custody of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh. The court criticized the West Bengal Police for their "totally biased" conduct, stating that efforts are being made to intentionally delay the investigation to shield the accused. 

Shortly after the High Court granted the Enforcement Directorate's request, the West Bengal government swiftly moved the Supreme Court to challenge the order. However, the Supreme Court bench declined an urgent listing of the plea and directed the counsel to bring it up before the Registrar General. Simultaneously, the CBI sought to take charge of the investigation, approaching the West Bengal Police for cooperation. A team from the agency, accompanied by paramilitary forces, arrived at the CID office in Kolkata to secure custody of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh.

On January 5, a team of ED officials faced a violent attack by a nearly 1,000-strong mob while attempting to raid the residence of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh. The raid was part of the investigation into Sheikh's alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal. The incident marked a disturbing escalation, with the mob's aggression hindering the ED officials' operation.

"There can be no better case than the case on hand which requires to be transferred to be investigated by CBI," a high court division bench headed by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam ruled and directed that the directions be complied with by 4.30 pm on Tuesday.

Following the January 17 order by a single bench of the Calcutta High Court to establish a joint Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising the CBI and state police to investigate the mob attack on ED officials during the raid on Shajahan Sheikh's residence, both the ED and the West Bengal government filed separate appeals. The ED sought a transfer of the investigation solely to the CBI, while the state government argued for allowing the state police to conduct the probe.

Shajahan Sheikh, the key accused in the alleged sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing at Sandeshkhali, was arrested by the state police on February 29 in connection with the attack on ED officials. The ED argued in court that the state police intentionally arrested Sheikh in the ED officials' attack case, despite numerous other pending cases against him, to prevent the CBI from gaining custody if the investigation is transferred to the central agency.