CBI files first chargesheet against Shahjahan Sheikh, 6 others in Sandeshkhali ED assault case

The CBI filed the chargesheet against the accused under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (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.

Investigation into the case revealed that Sahajahan Sheikh was the key conspirator behind the January 5 incident, in which ED officials were attacked. The ED officials were in Sandeshkhali to search Sheikh’s residential and official premises in connection with allegations of money laundering related to proceeds of crime generated from irregularities in procurement, processing/milling/fortification and distribution of ration through the PDS scheme.

A Trinamool Congress strongman in Sandeshkhali, Sheikh has been in the limelight after the ED team on its way to search his house in Sarberia was attacked and chased away on January 5 injuring a few of its officials.

Sheikh and his aides have also been accused of land-grabbing and sexual harassment in cases which followed the violent protests in Sandeshkhali of the North 24 Parganas district.

After being at large for 55 days, Sheikh was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 and remanded to CID custody. Subsequently, his custody was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation following a direction by the Calcutta High Court. On March 5, the CBI filed a First Information Report (FIR), booked Sheikh and took over the case the next day.

The ED is also conducting an investigation against Shahjahan Sheikh in the alleged ration distribution scam. The central agency had also recently filed a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on ‘irregularities’ in the import-export business. During the investigation into the case, ED officials conducted searches at six locations, including Howrah, Kolkata, and North 24 Parganas on February 23.

Searches were also carried out at the houses of several fish traders close to Sheikh.