A day after Trinamool Congress (TMC) national secretary Abhishek Banerjee claimed that that the party is not guarding Sheikh Shahjahan but judiciary has tied the hands and feet of state police, the Calcutta High Court on Monday gave instruction to arrest Shahjahan and made it clear that there is no stay in getting him arrested.
According to the court sources, the court had directed that Shahjahan, Enforcement Directorate (ED), CBI, the state home secretary be made as parties in the suo motu matter initiated against the Sandeshkhali incident. There is no stay in any proceedings. Shahjahan has been absconding and needs to be arrested, said the court. The next hearing of this matter is on March 6. Soon after the court's clarification, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that Shahjahan would be arrested within seven days.
"Thanks to the High Court today for clarifying the matter and allowing the police to take action. He will be arrested within seven days. The matter was stuck and whatever our party's national secretary Abhishek Banerjee said was correct," said Ghosh.
Abhishek Banerjee's claim
On Sunday Banerjee had claimed, If TMC can take action against Partha Chatterjee and Jyotipriyo Mullick and if the police can arrest Saradha scam kingpin Sudipto Sen then who is Shahjahan? Due to a stay by High Court on the appeal by ED over the SIT that was formed the state police's hands and feet are tied by the judiciary.
Shahjahan a TMC leader, who is absconding, is the key accused in Sandeshkhali where several women complained of sexual harassment and land grab against him and his associates. Other TMC leaders and associates of Shahjahan, Sibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar have been arrested and are in police custody.
On Sunday another TMC leader Ajit Maity was also arrested by the state police. Meanwhile on Monday, several women vandalized houses of TMC leaders Shankar Sardar and Haldar Ari at Sandeshkhali. The protesting women alleged land grab by these TMC leaders and said rations had been denied to the villagers. A police officer said that after getting over 70 complaints, an FIR had been lodged against Sheikh Shahjahan.
WB Governor's statement
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday said that the Governor's job is to see when the elected government takes action within the rule of law. If that is not done, then the governor will intervene, ANI reports. "As we know from the newspaper reports, the Police came there, ministers went there, and petitions were received. From what I understand from the newspapers, more than 800 petitions have been received. The process has started, women have come forward, they have started asserting themselves; and now there will be a change...Generals may not fight, they make others fight. The Governor's job is to see when the elected government takes action within the rule of law. If that is not done, then the Governor will intervene," he said.
