West Bengal Police Arrest TMC Leader Shahjahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali Case Ahead of PM Modi’s Visit

X: @the_news_21

After a relentless 55-day manhunt, West Bengal Police have apprehended Shahjahan Sheikh, the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case and a prominent leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). The arrest took place in the Minakhan area of North 24 Parganas, culminating in Sheikh’s transfer to the Basirhat Court. This significant development comes on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled state visit on March 1st, adding a political undertone to the unfolding events.

As reported by ANI, Sheikh Shahjahan is set to appear before the Basirhat Court at 2 pm today, marking a crucial juncture in the legal proceedings surrounding the case.

The arrest sparked a volley of political discourse, with TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale using the opportunity to criticize the Modi government while defending the Mamata Banerjee administration’s handling of the situation.

Before his notoriety in connection to the Sandeshkhali unrest, Sheikh’s supporters made headlines for assaulting Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel during an attempted raid linked to a ration scam investigation.

In anticipation of public interest and scrutiny, the Additional Director General (ADG) South is slated to conduct a media briefing at the SDPO Minakhan office in Malancha at 9 am, shedding further light on the arrest and its implications.

The Calcutta High Court’s recent clarification has added clarity to the legal proceedings. In a statement issued on Monday, the High Court emphasized that there is no injunction against Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest, affirming, “There is no restraining order on his arrest. A stay on investigation does not imply a stay on arrest. With an FIR filed and him identified as a suspect, he must be apprehended.” This clarification followed TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s assertion that the government was not shielding Sheikh but adhering to a directive from the High Court.

Saket Gokhale, in a statement shared on X, highlighted the arrest as a testament to the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s commitment to the rule of law. He stated, “West Bengal Police have arrested Sandeshkhali accused Sheikh Shahjahan this morning. As our National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had rightly pointed out – it was a Calcutta HC stay order that had restrained the police. We had also committed that Sheikh Shahjahan would be arrested WITHIN DAYS if the Hon’ble HC freed the hands of the police.”

He further drew a comparison with the central government’s handling of similar cases, asserting, “On 26th Feb, the HC clarified that WB Police can arrest Sheikh Shahjahan. And today, in less than 72 hours, he has been arrested by West Bengal Police. Now remember – despite multiple protests across the nation, the Modi Govt NEVER arrested Brij Bhushan Sharan. In fact, he even continues to be a Lok Sabha MP of the BJP despite all his crimes. That’s the difference between Mamata Banerjee & the criminal-protecting Narendra Modi.”

The arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan stands as a significant development in the Sandeshkhali case, underscoring the interplay between law, politics, and public perception in West Bengal’s complex socio-political landscape.