West Bengal refuses to hand over Sheikh Shahjahan to CBI, matter in top court

The West Bengal government has stood firm against handing over the custody of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), despite a recent order from the Calcutta High Court.

A team of CBI sleuths, in a bid to enforce the court's directive, made their way to Bhabani Bhawan, the West Bengal Police Headquarters, to take custody of Shahjahan. However, their efforts were met with resistance as they returned empty-handed, unable to secure the suspended Trinamool leader.

The Calcutta High Court, in a significant ruling earlier on Tuesday, had instructed the West Bengal government to transfer Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI's custody. This directive came in connection with the attack on Enforcement Directorate officers in Sandeshkhali on January 5.

The court's decision emphasized the state police's failure to adequately address the situation, highlighting Shahjahan's prolonged evasion of authorities spanning over 50 days before his eventual arrest on February 29.

Responding to the High Court's order, the West Bengal government swiftly moved to challenge it in the Supreme Court. The legal battle now escalates to the apex court, where the fate of the probe hangs in the balance.

The incident that sparked this legal showdown occurred on January 5, when members of the Enforcement Directorate were subjected to a violent assault by a mob in Sandeshkhali. The attack unfolded during a raid on Sheikh Shahjahan's residence, as part of investigations into an alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam.

Sheikh Shahjahan, who had been evading authorities for an extended period, was eventually apprehended by the state police on February 29. However, the saga surrounding Shahjahan extends beyond allegations of corruption, with additional accusations of sexual harassment and land grabbing surfacing from several women in Sandeshkhali.