Sec 144 imposed in 19 places in Sandeshkhali; CID takes over probe

The CID has taken over the probe after police arrested Sheikh Shahjahan in the wee hours of Thursday while Section 144 was imposed in 19 places in Sandeshkhali to prevent any violation of law and order as a reaction to his arrest. Shahjahan was arrested from the Minakhan Police Station area’s Bamanpukur. He was produced at the Basirhat Court where he was remanded to police custody for 10 days. Later, he was taken to the state police headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan.

During a press conference on Thursday morning, Additional Director General (ADG), South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar clarified that due to a stay imposed by the Calcutta High Court, Shajahan could not be arrested. “As soon as High Court lifted the ban and allowed police to act against the accused, he was arrested,” Sarkar claimed.

He said: “The complaints that were lodged after February 8 in which Shahjahan is one of the accused, are all based on the incidents that had taken place about two to three years ago. It takes ample time to gather information and evidence about incidents that took place then. We were not able to arrest Shahjahan as we had legal bindings but ED did not have any such restraints. Then why did they not take the initiative to arrest Shahjahan?”

Police said Shahjahan was arrested in connection with the case registered based on the ED Deputy Director, for assaulting the officials and preventing them from conducting the raid on January 5. However, on Thursday police also submitted a ‘shown arrest’ prayer in another case which was eventually granted.

Apart from the arrest of Shahjahan, police have also nabbed an associate of the suspended TMC leader of Sandeshkhali from Odisha on Thursday. Amir Ali Gazi was picked up from Rourkella in Odisha and brought to Basirhat within a few hours. He was also produced at the Basirhat court and has been remanded to police custody for five days.

Speaking on the case where the former CPI(M) MLA of Sandeshkhali, Nirapada Sardar was arrested based on an FIR that was registered before a complaint was lodged, Sarkar added, “It was a human error. We have sufficient evidence in support of the issue. A report will be submitted by the Superintendent of Police (SP) to the High Court. It was an unintentional and inadvertent mistake.”