TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan sent to 10-day police custody

Absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, was arrested on Thursday morning after being on the run for 55 days, police said.He has been sent to a 10-day police custody by a local court. Sheikh is accused of alleged sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.He was arrested from a house at Minakhah in North 24 Parganas district where he was hiding, the police said.Advocate Raja Bhowmick, lawyer of Sheikh Shahjahan said, “ ...The police sought 14 days custody but the court granted 10 days…On March 10, he will be produced in court again”. Sheikh was taken into custody within 24 hours of the Calcutta High Court stating that the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the West Bengal Police can arrest him.
The ruling Trinamool Congress said the arrest was possible as the court cleared the decks, while the BJP dubbed it as scripted.BJP claimed the state police were forced to arrest Sheikh because of its agitations."It was the TMC and the state police which were shielding the culprit. He has been arrested now as a part of a well-scripted story. The state administration was forced to arrest him because of the continuous agitation led by us," BJP state president Sukanta Majumadar said.West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari says, "This is not arrest, this is a mutual adjustment. Unless the central agencies take him into their custody, the people there won't get justice...He will get 5-star facilities in jail." 

#WATCH | Minakhan, North 24 Parganas | On the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari says, "...This is not arrest, this is a mutual adjustment. Unless the central agencies take him into their custody, the people there won't get justice...He will… pic.twitter.com/J0eu5L2jm9

— ANI (@ANI) February 29, 2024

Police said that over 100 complaints were registered against Sheikh over the last few weeks, which saw violent protests led by women demanding his arrest.He has been booked under IPC sections 376D (gang rape) and 307 (attempt to murder), they said.Sheikh's close aides Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar were earlier arrested on similar charges.Police said most of the complainants claimed that Shajahan forcibly took over land from the people, and tortured the women of the area.Sheikh was at large since an ED team that went to raid his house in connection with the alleged ration scam was attacked by a mob of around 1,000 people on January 5.