Kolkata: The Bengal government on Tuesday refused the handover of jailed suspended Trinamool's strongman Sheikh Shahjahan to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team despite a Calcutta High Court order to the police's criminal investigation department (CID).

The court had directed the police to transfer custody of Shahjahan, as well as case materials, by 4.30 pm today. However, the CBI team at 7.30 pm left the police HQ in Kolkata empty-handed. 

The state government has moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta HC order and so the CID refused to release Shahjahan till the top court's ruling.

Shahjahan, who was absconding after a team from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) came under attack while raiding his Sandeshkhali residence in connection with the alleged ration scam case, was placed in the custody of the state police after his arrest.

As he continued to remain in the wind even after hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali came out against the TMC strongman, accusing him of perpetrating atrocities on them along with his henchmen, the high court sanctioned his arrest by either the state police, ED, or CBI.

However, close to two months after reportedly being on the run, Shahjahan was nabbed by the state police and taken into custody.

A three-member CBI team, flanked by CRPF escorts, arrived at the CID headquarters, Bhabani Bhaban, on Tuesday.

Dealing a blow to the Mamata Banerjee government earlier, the high court transferred the Sandehskhali case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A division bench led by the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court also ordered the state police to immediately hand over the suspended TMC strongman to the CBI. The division bench also set aside an earlier order for setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the attack on the ED team. It also ordered the transfer of two cases registered at Nazhat police station and the Bongaon police station against Shahjahan to the central agency.

The high court also directed the West Bengal Police to hand over Sheikh Shahjahan and all documents related to the ongoing probe against him to the CBI by 4.30 pm on Tuesday.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi filed a plea in the Supreme Court, challenging the high court order to hand the case against the suspended TMC strongman to the CBI. The apex court asked the senior advocate to mention the plea before the registrar general of the apex court.