Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan has been arrested by West Bengal Police in connection with Sandeshkhali violence.
Sandeshkhali, in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, witnessed a series of protest in the recent past against the allegations of land grab and sexual abuse by Sheikh and his supporters.
Th absconding TMC leader was arrested by the police from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas on Thursday early morning and taken to Basirhat Court, said Minakhan SDPO, Aminul Islam Khan, as per news agency ANI.
Sandeshkhali violence | TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan arrested by West Bengal Police from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas and taken to Basirhat Court: SDPO of Minakhan, Aminul Islam Khan pic.twitter.com/BoerJxFZNJ
— ANI (@ANI) February 29, 2024
Sheikh Shahjahan will be produced before the Basirhat court at 2 pm on Thursday, Khan added.
The arrest of the 42-year-old TMC leader, who faces charges ranging from money laundering to harassment, comes a day after Calcutta High Court directed that he can be arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate or the West Bengal police.
On February 26, the court had ordered the arrest of Sheikh by the police authority.
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West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose had also asked the Mamata Banerjee government on Monday night to file a report within 72 hours if they fail to nab Sheikh. He also asked the Bengal government to probe the alleged incident of a child being thrown away by the miscreants in Sandeshkhali and submit a report to his office.
In his letter written to the state government, Bose said, “In the light of the decision of the Calcutta High Court, the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents, Shajahan Sheikh, may be arrested immediately, failing which reasons for the same may be reported within 72 hours.”
