CBI files chargesheet in attack on ED team in Sandeshkhali
May 28, 2024
North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], May 28 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against seven arrested accused, including accused Sahajahan Sheikh, his brother Sekh Alomgir, and others, in the Sandeshkhali case on Monday.
The chargesheet has been filed in the court of ACJM, Basirhat Court, District- North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
The High Court at Calcutta on March 5 had directed the CBI to take over the investigation of the case originally registered at Nazat PS, Basirhat.
An investigation in the case revealed that Sahajahan Sheikh was the key conspirator behind the incident that occurred on January 1, in which ED officials were attacked, when they went to conduct a search at his residential and official premises, in a case on allegations of money laundering related to proceeds of crime generated from irregularities in procurement, processing/milling/fortification and distribution of rations through the PDS scheme.
As per the investigation conducted so far, the CBI filed a chargesheet against the accused under different sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The other accused have also been arraigned as per their role, as revealed during the investigation.
Further investigation in the case is continuing.
Sahajahan, who has been suspended from the ruling TMC, has also been accused of land-grabbing and sexual harassment in Sandeshkhali of the North 24 Parganas district.
Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district started hitting the headlines in February this year when villagers, mostly women, came out on the streets against the ruling TMC and Shahjahan, accusing the strongman and his aides of perpetrating gross excesses and atrocities on them while also gobbling up their land. Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion.
