Sandeshkhali violence: the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday alleged that Shajahan Sheikh, the absconding Trinamool Congress leader of Sandeshkhali, is being protected by the police. BJP on Wednesday initiated a two-day dharna in Kolkata on Wednesday, protesting against the “decline” in law and order in West Bengal.
Speaking to PTI, former BJP state president and MP Dilip Ghosh said, “Shajahan Sheikh has been hiding under the protection of the police. He is a criminal and has been accused of murder, rape and helping illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants and cow smuggling.”
Sandeshkhali violence: Top updates
–Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed the 6-member fact-finding team, led by a former judge of the Patna High Court, to go to Sandeshkhali on 1 March. The fact-finding team will go to Majherpara, Natunpara, and Naskarpara
-Justice Kaushik Chandra also allowed State LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari to go to Sandeshkhali. No inflammatory comments can be made. Suvendu Adhikari will go tomorrow
-The Calcutta High Court also directed that Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh can be arrested by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the West Bengal Police.
-Led by top leaders of the BJP‘s West Bengal unit, the saffron party initiated a sit-in at Mayo Road near the Mahatma Gandhi statue.
-BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that there is no development in the TMC’s assurance made on Monday that Sheikh would be arrested in seven days.
-BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the Nandigram MLA, claimed Shajahan was under the protection of the police since midnight after being “taken away from Bermajur gram panchayat after he managed a deal with the police through influential mediators that he would be taken care of properly while in police and judicial custody”.
-The ruling Trinamool Congress, however, dismissed Adhikari’s claim as baseless and an attempt to disturb the law and order situation.
-TMC leader Arjun Singh wondered why Adhikari did not share those details with the ED and the CBI. “You seem to have extensive information about Sheikh Shahjahan’s location. Why didn’t you share this with ED and CBI? What stopped them from taking action? Or, are you suggesting that state enforcement agencies are more capable than BJP-controlled ED & CBI?” Singh posted on X.
-The riverine Sandeshkhali area — situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata — has been on the boil for more than a month with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against local TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, who is absconding, and his supporters.
-The unrest in the area stems from accusations against Shajahan and his supporters of land grabbing and sexual assault with the local TMC strongman evading authorities since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.
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Published: 28 Feb 2024, 06:47 PM IST