Sandeshkhali case: Calcutta HC raps West Bengal govt, says it will ask Sheikh Shahjahan to surrender  

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday came down heavily on the West Bengal government on the Sandeshkhali unrest. The bench noted that one person cannot hold all to ransom and that the state should not be supporting absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, who has been accused by several women of sexual assault and land grab. 

"He cannot be encouraged by the state dispensation. There is a prima facie material to show he has done damage... If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, the ruling dispensation should not support him," the court said.

The court, while hearing BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's request for permission to visit Sandeshkhali, also said it would ask Shahjahan Sheikh to surrender.

Earlier in the day, Adhikari was stopped by the police from visiting Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district.

The police stopped Adhikari from going to the trouble-torn area, where prohibitory orders have been imposed, stating the government has moved a division bench challenging the Calcutta High Court order that allowed the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly to visit the area.

The division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya permitted Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali, dismissing the West Bengal government's appeal. Earlier, a single bench of the court had granted permission to the Leader of the Opposition to visit the region on Monday. Subsequently, the Bengal government contested the decision in front of the division bench.

"We will ask him to surrender, let's see what he does," the court said, adding, "What's more important is that the person who has masterminded the whole thing is still absconding."

Since the beginning of this month, several women in Sandeshkhali had accused Shahjahan and his supporters of "land-grabbing and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.

Shahjahan is on the run after a mob, allegedly affiliated with him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5.

"The state police are unable to apprehend him despite various IPC offences against him as well as after the attack on the ED officials. Therefore, a larger view of the matter has to be taken by the state," the court said.

"We have seen the grievances, the women of the area have flagged several issues, and there has been some land grabbing of tribal people. This person (Sheikh Shahjahan) cannot be on the run. The state cannot support it. In the suo moto matter, we'll ask him to surrender here. He can't defy the law."

"We don't know if he's protected but he is unable to be secured. That could mean that state police are not able to secure him, or he is outside their jurisdiction. Let people speak out," the bench observed.