Sandeshkhali CBI Probe: West Bengal Govt Moves SC Against HC's Order

New Delhi: The West Bengal government on Friday moved the Supreme Court of India against Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in Sandeshkhali case challenging Calcutta High Court's decision directing the CBI probe in connection with the allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in North 24 Parganas' Sandeshkhali village.

A Supreme Court bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta will listen the plea on Monday, April 29.

A division bench of High Court, comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, said the investigation would be monitored by the court and the CBI will have to file a comprehensive report on the complaints at the next date of hearing, scheduled for May 2.

At the time of the court order, the CBI was investigating the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5, when they had gone to search the premises of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with a ration distribution scam case.

The team was attacked in Sandeshkhali— a riverine delta bordering the Sundarbans, on January 5 when it had gone to raid the premises of Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration scam.

Meanwhile, today, the Central Bureau of Investigation recovered arms and ammunition from Sandeshkhali on Friday while conducting searches at multiple locations. The probe agency is investigating a mob attack against the Enforcement Directorate that was allegedly launched by a local TMC leader.

 The ED team was attacked on January 5 as they went to raid the premises of Shajahan Sheikh in connection with a ration scam.

Locals in Sandeshkhali have accused Sheikh, a member of the state's Trinamool Congress party (TMC), and other local politicians of illegally taking their lands and sexually assaulting several women in the area. Protests demanding their arrests have been raging for more than a month now. 

How Sandeshkhali Incident Snowballed into Major Breaking Point Before the Lok Sabha Polls? 

The attack on ED in January 2024 set off a political controversy with general elections weeks away then. BJP ripped apart Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government for alleged lackadaisical attitude in arresting Sheikh Shahjahan. 

The Sandeshkhali row erupted after a mob of Shahjahan's supporters attacked ED team while it was en route to conduct searches related to a separate case. In the aftermath of that attack, in which ED officials were hurt - the Trinamool muscleman absconded (and stayed hidden for nearly two months).

The Trinamool was accused by the BJP of protecting Shahjahan, who was arrested only after the High Court's explicit direction. 

High Court's directions came after this was after controversial comments by Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, who claimed the state could not arrest Shahjahan because the court had "tied (police's) hands".

The BJP has also fielded one of the women who alleged sexual assault by Shahjahan - Rekha Patra - as a candidate from the Basirhat seat, which includes Sandeshkhali.

Trinamool Congress Party retaliated by emphasizing allegations on ex-wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Singh, a sitting BJP MP accused of sexual assault by women wrestlers.

Earlier this month the Bengal government received a strict scolding from the state's High Court Thursday as it heard affidavits seeking probes into the Sandeshkhali allegations.

A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said the state could not dodge accountability in the event the allegations are found to be true. "Even if one affidavit is correct, it is shameful..." he said.