Sandeshkhali incident: CBI files charge sheet against suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, 6 others

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday filed a chargesheet against expelled TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and six others in connection with the January 5 assault on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali.

The CBI has filed a charge sheet against suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and six others in connection with the January 5 attack on an Enforcement Directorate team at Sandeshkhali, officials said on Tuesday. According to them, the agency submitted the case's initial charge sheet with a special court on Monday.

When the ED team proceeded to search Sheikh's home in relation to the multi-crore ration distribution fraud in West Bengal, they were ambushed by a crowd of a thousand people. The team had gone to arrest Sheikh because of his alleged close links with arrested former state food minister Jyoti Priya Mallick under scanner in the scam, they said.

Sheikh was arrested by the Bengal Police on February 29 after 55 days on the run following violent protests led by women, who have made allegations of sexual harassment and land grabbing against him. 

He is accused of inciting a mob to attack the ED officials. The probe agency, in a statement, had said three of its officers sustained serious injuries and had to be admitted to a hospital after being attacked by a mob of 800-1000 people.

Sandeshkhali, a riverine island about 80 km from Kolkata, has gained attention when local women accused Sheikh and his men, who are involved in fish farming and commerce, of robbing them of their land and abusing them sexually.

Three cases pertaining to happenings on January 5 have been turned over to the CBI for investigation, they added. Sheikh was arrested by the CBI on March 6 after being taken into custody by the state police on February 29.