COOCH BEHAR (West Bengal): Union Minister and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik on Wednesday hailed Calcutta High Court’s order in the Sandeshkhali case as a victory for women in West Bengal facing atrocities.
“The incident that happened in Sandeshkhali is saddening. The court’s order is a win not just for the women of Sandeshkhali but women who are being subjected to atrocities across West Bengal,” he told ANI.
Notably, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed a court-monitored investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged cases of sexual assault and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
The women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district have accused Shahjahan and his aides of grave excesses and atrocities. Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion.
Earlier, the court in Kolkata remanded suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in ED custody till April 13.
Shahjahan has been accused of forcibly occupying several lands in the Sandeshkhali area of West Bengal, according to ED sources.
ED also found many illegal financial transactions in the shrimp import and export business.
The ED filed two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIR) against him.
One ERIC was regarding ration (PDS) corruption, the source of which was found in a letter written by Jyotiprioryo Mallik, former Bengal food minister.
The other one was filed in regard to unlawful dealings in export-import transactions. This ECIR has allegations of forcible land acquisition.
As per the ED sources, Shahjahan was interrogated in relation to the second ERIC, which involved land grab allegations.
Earlier, on the directive of the Calcutta High Court, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Kolkata Police handed custody of Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI.
Issuing a contempt notice to the CID, the high court ruled on Wednesday that the case pertaining to the attack on ED officials be handed over to the CBI along with the custody of the prime accused, Shahjahan.
The court further observed that state police played ‘hide and seek’ in the matter.
After allegedly evading capture for nearly two months, the suspended TMC leader was apprehended by the West Bengal Police on February 29th. (ANI)