Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who had been on the run for 55 days, was arrested from a house in Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district late on Wednesday.
According to reports, he was apprehended by a special Bengal police team in North 24 Parganas, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans, where he was hiding with a few associates.
The arrest comes three days after the Calcutta High Court ordered to add Sheikh Shahjahan to the Sandeshkhali case. The TMC leader and his associates have been accused of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
Supratim Sarkar, ADG south Bengal, later told the media that Shahjahan was arrested in connection with the case related to the attack on ED officials. “Shahjahan was arrested late on Wednesday night from Bamanpukur area at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas. He was arrested in connection with the case related to attack on ED officials on January 5. He was one of the principal accused in the case. Several other cases have been lodged against him after protests broke out in Sandeshkhali earlier this month. Those are being investigated,” Sarkar said.
He will be produced before the Basirhat court at 2 pm, the reports added.