Suspended Trinamool Strongman Sheikh Shahjahan Sent To 4-Day CBI Custody

The Basirhat Sub-Divisional Court on Sunday sent suspended Trinamool Congress strongman and Sandeshkhali-accused Sheikh Shahjahan to four-day CBI custody in connection with the January 5 attack on the Enforcement Directorate team in Sandeshkhali.

Earlier today, Shahjahan was produced before the court earlier as his 10-day police custody ended today.

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.

"The accused is a political influencer. The investigation should be handed over to the CBI and the custody of the accused by 4:15 pm today," the high court observed.

After reportedly being on the run for close to two months, the now-suspended TMC strongman was arrested by West Bengal Police on February 29.

He was produced before the Basirhat court, which remanded him in police custody for 10 days.

Apart from the attack on an ED team, which was out raiding his Sandeshkhali residence in connection with the alleged ration scam, Shahjahan is also accused of land grab, extortion and committing excesses on women along with his henchmen.

The women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district erupted in violent protests and came out on the streets, accusing Shahjahan and his aides of grave excesses and atrocities.

Multiple women in the island accused Shajahan and his aides of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)