Sandeshkhali Case: SC Hears West Bengal Govt’s Plea Against CBI Probe
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Kolkata
- Apr 29, 2024
- 71
The West Bengal government filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Calcutta High Court to hand over the investigation of the Sandeshkhali case to the CBI. On Monday (April 29), a bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta heard the case and listed it for July.
On April 10, the Calcutta High Court had handed over the investigation of the Sandeshkhali case of West Bengal to the CBI. Also told that CBI will investigate under our supervision and submit the report.
The High Court had fixed the next hearing of the case on May 2. Meanwhile, Mamata government reached the Supreme Court.
The women of Sandeshkhali have accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders of alleged sexual harassment and forcible land grab. Shahjahan Shaikh, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar are accused in the case. All three have been arrested.
Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, on behalf of Mamta government, said that we should be given 2-3 more weeks, we want to add some information.
SG Tushar Mehta, ASG SV Raju and Aishwarya Bhati presented arguments on behalf of CBI. Where it was said that the case is still pending, hence it should not be used anywhere.
The bench listed the matter for July, and also recorded Singhvi's statement that the pending petition would not be used for any other purpose.
After the order of Calcutta High Court, CBI has registered the first FIR in the case of land grabbing and crime against women (sexual exploitation) in Sandeshkhali. It includes the names of 5 main accused.
Although, who these accused are has not been revealed, but it is being said that they are influential people.
After the order of the High Court, the Mamata Banerjee government of the state cannot stop the CBI investigation. In fact, in any case related to the state, permission has to be taken from the state government for the inquiry by the central investigating agency CBI.
The West Bengal government had on November 16, 2018 withdrawn the 'general consent' given to the CBI to conduct investigations and raids in the state. At that time, Mamata Banerjee had accused the central government of misuse of central investigating agencies regarding the chit fund scam.
Under Section 2 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the CBI can initiate investigation on its own into crimes under Section 3 only in Union Territories.
Before starting investigation in the states, CBI is required to obtain permission from the state government under Section 6.
No one knows from where the accused Shahjahan Sheikh came to Sandeshkhali. In 2000-2001, he was a laborer at the Fisheries Centre. He also sold vegetables. Then he started working in a brick kiln. It was here that he formed a labor union. Then joined CPIM.
When the Left parties lost ground in the Singur and Nandigram movements, in 2012, Shahjahan joined the party with the help of the then general secretary of Trinamool Congress, Mukul Roy and powerful leader of North 24 Parganas district, Jyotipriya Malik.
According to the people of Sandeshkhali, Shahjahan has hundreds of fish farming centers, brick kilns, hundreds of acres of land. He is the owner of property worth Rs 2 to 4 thousand crores.
ED had raided 15 locations in Bengal on January 5 in the alleged ration scam worth thousands of crores of rupees during Corona. The team had also gone to raid the houses of Sheikh Shahjahan and Shankar Adhya in Sandeshkhali village of North 24 Parganas district. During this time he was fatally attacked by TMC supporters. Three officers were injured in this.
The victimized women who made the allegations say that Shahjahan Sheikh used to make whoever he wanted a victim of his lust. He absconded after the ED raid. He was arrested after about 55 days on 29 February.