After weeks of Sheikh Shahjahan attacking ED officials and the Sandeshkhali women protesting against the TMC leader for raping them and grabbing their lad, the West Bengal Police seems to have finally located the TMC leader and arrested him.
ANI reported that the West Bengal Police arrested Sheikh Shahjahan from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas. The SDPO said that the TMC leader would be taken to Basirhat Court at 2 PM today (Thursday, 29th February).
Sheikh Shahjahan will be produced before the Basirhat Court at 2 pm today: SDPO of Minakhan, Aminul Islam Khan https://t.co/fJI8SD7acY
— ANI (@ANI) February 29, 2024
Popularly referred to as ‘Betaj Badshah‘ TMC’s Shahjahan Sheikh is an influential person in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, an area that is adjacent to the Bangladesh border. Women from the area have accused him and his accomplices of sexual abuse, intimidation and rape. “You may be the husband but you cannot exercise your right. They would take your wife away for nights at a stretch. They would not release the women from their captivity until they were fully satisfied. They have 20-30 goons with them. They would come in bikes and exercise their writ in the village,” a woman narrated the horrifying ordeal.
Despite continuous protests by hundreds of victims and constant outrage by the opposition as well as the media, Mamata Banerjee’s administration took weeks to arrest the strongman. The Block Development Officer (BDO) has received more than 700 complaints against him in six days. He was also the mastermind behind the assault on Enforcement Directorate officials who had reached to execute a raid on his residence as part of an investigation into the ration scam.
The arrest of Sheikh Shahjaha comes after continuous protests by the women of Shandeshkhali, BJP and the High Court coming down heavily on Mamata Banerjee’s administration for failing to arrest the TMC leader.
On 20th February, the Calcutta High Court rapped the Mamata Banerjee-led-West Bengal government for failing to arrest ‘absconding’ Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan, responsible for the violence and unrest in Sandeshkhali village. During the hearing, the court observed, “He (Sheikh Shahjahan) cannot be encouraged by State dispensation. There is a prima facie material to show he has done damage…”
“This person cannot be on the run. Obviously, there will be law and order problem. He is a public representative. He cannot be defying law. Let’s see whether he can appear before the Court,” it noted.
The Calcutta High Court then directed the accused Trinamool Congress leader to surrender before the law enforcement authorities. “In the suo motu matter, we will ask him to surrender here… One person cannot hold entire population to ransom,” it added.
The Calcutta High Court further observed, “It is almost more than 18 days. One person who is cause for entire problem being precipitated is still on the run. We don’t know whether he is being protected or not but is not being able to be secured.”
Pertinently, only yesterday, Suvendu Adhikari had said that Sheikh Shahjahan was in the safe protection of Mamata Banerjee and her administration. It almost appears as though Adhikari’s predictions have come true.
The BJP leader claimed that he was nabbed from Bermajur – II Gram Panchayat area by the police, but he managed to negotiate a deal through influential mediators, and after that, he will be properly taken care of while he will be in police and judicial custody. Adhikari further claimed that the TMC leader will get 5-star facilities in custody.
Adhikari wrote, “The Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali – Seikh Shahjahan is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajur – II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would be taken care of properly while in Police and Judicial Custody.”
The BJP leader added, “He will be extended 5 Star facilities during his time behind bars and will have access to a mobile phone, through which he will be able to lead the Tolamool Party virtually. Even a bed in the Woodburn Ward will be kept ready and vacant for him if he chooses to spend some time there.”
