Kolkata: Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who was arrested on Thursday morning for allegedly torturing villagers in the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali area in West Bengal, has been sent to a 10-day police custody by a local court. Sheikh is accused of alleged sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
He was arrested from a house at Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district where he was hiding, the police said.
Advocate Raja Bhowmick, lawyer of Sheikh Shahjahan said, “ …The police sought 14 days custody but the court granted 10 days…On March 10, he will be produced in court again”
The Calcutta high court on Wednesday directed that Sheikh Shahjahan can be arrested by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the West Bengal Police.
On Monday, the high court had directed police to arrest Sheikh Shahjahan, following which the state’s ruling party asserted that it does not shield culprits and he would be arrested within seven days.
Sheikh Shahjahan was at large since an ED team that went to raid his house in connection with the alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob of around 1,000 people on January 5.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose welcomed the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan asserted that the time has come to put criminals, who are ruling the roost in parts of Bengal, behind bars.
“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,” news agency PTI quoted the Bengal governor saying at a press conference.
CV Ananda Bose maintained that the Sandeshkhali incident is only the tip of an iceberg, suggesting there is much more to it than what meets the eye.
Agencies