Calcutta HC Again Orders Bengal Govt To Hand Over Sheikh Shahjahan To CBI; Gives New Deadline

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court again directed the Bengal government to transfer the investigation into the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials earlier this year to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and hand over suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan to the agency by 4.15pm.

The order came after the CBI told the Court that the West Bengal government should be pulled up for contempt for not handing over the custody of Shajahan in connection with the January 5 attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali.

In a high voltage drama which unfolded on Tuesday, the Bengal Crime Investigation Department refused to hand over the arrested TMC leader to the CBI, hours after the Mamata Banerjee government challenged the high court order in the Supreme Court.

Appearing for the ED, additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju told the court that the Bengal government did not give Shahjahan’s custody as it had moved the Supreme Court against the HC’s order.

“There is no order staying the High Court order. This is contempt of the High Court order. It cannot wait…the purpose of the order is frustrated then,” the ASG said.

The counsel appearing for CBI said the probe agency had communicated the High Court order to all officials of West Bengal. “Letters have been sent to the DGP, Chief Secretary, including Addtl DG, CID,” the CBI counsel said.

The counsel also cited a letter by the DGP saying that the matter was mentioned before the Supreme Court and asked the CBI to wait for its disposal.

The Calcutta High Court called the Bengal Police “totally biased” on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Bengal, met the women in Sandeshkhali, who were allegedly sexually assaulted by Shahjahan,

“Whatever happened in Sandeshkhali is a matter of shame. The TMC government is trying to protect the person responsible for this. However, they have received a setback from the high court as well as the Supreme Court… The storm of Sandeshkhali will reach every part of West Bengal,” the PM said.