SC upholds Cal HC’s CBI probe decision in Sandeshkhali case

Kolkata: Dismissing the Bengal government’s plea, the Supreme Court of India on Monday upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to let the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conduct a probe into the Sandeshkhali violence while the ruling party of Bengal, Trinamool Congress called for a “fair investigation”.

The Bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice K V Viswanathan was dealing with a petition filed by the Bengal government against the Calcutta High Court’s direction to CBI to investigate the allegations of land grabbing and sexual harassment in Sandeshkhali by the now suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides. The state government in its plea before the apex court had dubbed the HC order as perverse, illegal and arbitrary which ought to be set aside.

The counsel appearing for the Bengal government, Abhishek Manu Singhvi is learnt to have argued in court on Monday that the impugned directions sought to cover not only the incidents of sexual assault and land grabbing but others as well, such as an alleged ration scam for which 43 FIRs were registered. He reportedly submitted: “Far reaching directions to CBI at the most could be restricted to two FIRs which related to ED officials. Now, the impugned directions cover everything (like ration scam)”. The Bench, however, held the view that all FIRs pertained to Sandeshkhali and as such, the impugned order, was not an omnibus order. Justice Gavai reportedly lamented that the state did not do anything for months and questioned again “why should the state be interested in protecting someone?” The Bench did not allow the plea and passed its order.

On February 13, 2024 Calcutta Hight Court took suo motu sance of reports on alleged sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali and grabbing of tribal lands. It had passed orders for a CBI probe. In March 2024, the probe into the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to raid the house of Shajahan Sheikh in connection with the ration scam was transferred to CBI. The decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose wrote on X: “A fair investigation into #Sandeshkhali is welcome. But the CBI must probe without fear or favour and not simply become an instrument in the hands of the @BJP4India to absolve@narendramodi’s party of its sins. It was the @BJP4India which paid women Rs 2000 to make false rape complaints thus attacking the dignity of Sandeshkhali women.@AITCofficial has suspended Shahjahan Sheikh for 6 years, the same cannot be said of@BJP4India‘s Brijbhushan Sharan Singh accused by India’s top sportswomen of serious sexual assault.”