Left with no option and under tremendous attack, West Bengal Police arrest Sheikh Shahjahan, TMC leader accused of sexual violence and land grab

 Trinamool’s Sheikh Shahjahan arrested in Sandeshkhali case

Shahjahan sent to 10 days' police custody after arrest

West Bengal Police arrested Sheikh Shahjahan, the Trinamool Congress leader accused of sexual violence and land grab by several women in Sandeshkhali.  

Significantly, Additional Solicitor General of India, S V Raju, appearing for the ED, told Calcutta High Court that if the state police arrest Sheikh, there is a likelihood of the case being diluted by the state police. Supporters of Shahjahan had attacked ED officials in January. 

The ED team had gone to search his premises in connection with a scam on January 5.

Sandeshkhali episode left Mamata-Abhishek duo embarrassed

The 53-year-old Trinamool strongman has been picked up from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas after as many as 55 days of absconding.

The arrest comes three days after the Calcutta High Court pulled up the state police for the delay in taking action against the Trinamool leader and stated that "he should be arrested".  

A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land-grab and sexual assault under coercion. The riverine area has been embroiled in a series of protests for more than a month, demanding the arrest of Sheikh and his accomplices.

Shajahan has been absconding since January 5, when a mob allegedly affiliated with him attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a scam on January 5.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has received 50 complaints of “sexual abuse and land grab” from tribal families against the Trinamool leader and his associates. The state government officials stated that they have received almost 1,250 complaints, including 400 related to land issues.

The High Court is set to hear the case against Shahjahan on March 4. The High Court on Wednesday had directed that the Trinamool Congress leader can also be arrested by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

However, additional Solicitor General of India SV Raju, appearing for the ED, expressed apprehension that if the state police arrest Sheikh, there is a likelihood of the case being diluted by the state police.

A red-faced Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that no parallels should be drawn between Nandigram and Singur with the events unfolding at Sandeshkhali.

“Remember Singur is Singur, Nandigram is Nandigram, Khatra is Khatra and Bishnupur is Bishnupur. Each place has its own characteristics. So do not compare one with the other,” Mamata said during an administrative review meeting at Bankura’s Khatra. 

Known for her minority-appeasement politics, Mamata also said: 

“I do not want any bloodshed and any incident of torture anywhere. I do not support any wrongdoing and I won’t do that ever in my life. Even if some wrong was unknowingly committed somewhere, I do not support that as well".

Read :: How Sandeshkhali crisis can become Singur-Nandigram part 2 in West Bengal politics ?

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Along with 'Atrocities' against women; Land grabbing by those with Trinamool connections is emerging a major issue. The common faceless people are gradually speaking out against 'dominance politics' of those in power and moreover there is a new angle.  

Now. locals say they could not vote since 2013 in any poll including Lok Sabha and assembly elections as their cards used to be taken by political goondas and agents.  Sandeshkhali falls under Basirhat parliamentary constituency. 

The West Bengal government has decided to set up cooperatives for the landowners whose plots were forcibly converted into bheris (shallow fish ponds) allegedly by Trinamul Congress leaders in Sandeshkhali and impart them training on pisciculture to offer them alternative livelihood options.

Sources in the state administration said the idea was mooted after it was found that the fertility of the soil in land parcels had declined because of saline water.

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