A day after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, CRPF jawans and media was attacked by alleged supporters of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, three FIRs were lodged by police including one against the ED officials on Saturday.
Police registers non-bailable offence against the ED officials
According to sources, local Nazat police station has registered non bailable FIR against ED officials for trying to enter Shahjahan's house without any search warrant. "One FIR was lodged against the ED officials, another against the alleged miscreants who have attacked the central agencies officers and the third was lodged based on the complaint done by ED to SP and DG over email," said the sources.
Shahjahan who is said to be close to arrested TMC minister Jyotipriya Mallick, remained absconding even on Saturday along with his family.
According to ED sources, though Shahjahan's mobile was found switched off on Saturday his mobile tower indicated that he was in his house during the raid on Friday.
Raid on Shahjahan's properties
"Three premises of Shahjahan was raided on Friday. ED officials had reached the two places and on reaching the third place, i.e. residence of Sahajahan Sheikh, door was locked from inside and he refused to open the door. As officers with the assistance of CRPF Personnel were trying to pursue to get door opened even by trying to contact the concerned person. His mobile location at that time indicated that he was inside this house," said the ED sources.
Notably, the two ED officials who were missing after the clash returned to the headquarters in Kolkata by Friday evening. Political slugfest once again started after the supporters of Shahjahan called him 'Royal Bengal Tiger'.
"Shahjahan is not a 'tiger' but a 'bug'"
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sukanta Majumdar said that Shahjahan is not a 'tiger' but a 'bug'. "We had information that Shahjahan was supposed take shelter in Bangladesh but due to the general election there the security has been tightened for which he along with his family could not go there and is hiding here," said Majumdar.
The Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury sarcastically said that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be given 'Nobel prize for lawlessness in Bengal'.
Slamming the FIR against the ED officials, former police officer Salil Bhattacharya said that court monitored probe is going in for which ED has gone there.
It was evident that people were inside the house, but they had refused to open the door. In a court-monitored probe during broad daylight, ED officers had every right to break the lock, especially when the lock was engaged from the inside," added Bhattacharya
Meanwhile, another TMC leader Shankar Adhya was arrested by ED over the same ration distribution scam on Friday late night after quizzing him for 17 hours. ED officials had once again had to face violence by the supporters of Adhya while he was taken to CGO complex (ED headquarters) in Kolkata. On producing him to Bankshall court on Saturday the court has given 14 days ED custody to Adhya.
Who is Sheikh Shahjahan?
Shahjahan also known as 'Bhai' has a meteoric rise in his career though he started as a mere small time worker in a local fishery in Sandeshkhali. He even at times sold vegetables and drove trekker.
In 2003 he entered politics and started as a Union Head of the fisheries and later joined CPI(M). Soon after that he was the last word in the fisheries. In 2013, Shahjahan had joined TMC through Jyotipriya Mallick who was in charge of North 24 parganas. Shahjahan is said to be very close aide of Mallick and soon after joining TMC his fame increased with his several outreach programmes like door to door campaigning and blood donation camps.
According to local villagers he was dreaded by his rivals but was 'Messiah' for many as he used to help several poor people in their needs. In the last 2021 Assembly election, Shahjahan was the convenor of North 24 parganas. He is also the president of ruling TMC in Sandeshkhali.
What is the ration distribution scam?
Ration distribution scam is selling of free rations for the common public in the open market. According to ED sources, the scam took full shape especially during the pandemic and also that nearly 30 per cent of the Public Distribution System (PDS) ration meant for beneficiaries in West Bengal was diverted to the open market.
The probing agency also mentioned that multi thousand crore has been siphoned through the ration distribution scam in West Bengal.
