Trinamool not guarding Sheikh Shahjahan but judiciary is: Abhishek
Promising to visit Sandeshkhali soon, Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee, on Sunday, accused the judiciary of guarding Shajahan Sheikh whose arrest is being demanded by the villagers for alleged atrocities committed against them.
State Cabinet ministers Partha Bhowmick and Sujit Bose continued with their efforts to pacify the villagers who have been demanding arrest of Shajahan who along with his associates allegedly grabbed lands and sexually harassed women.
Both Bho=wmick and Bose said that the party has never entertained members who were found involved in “anti-people” activities. They requested the villagers to give the state government a month’s time to solve their issues relating to land grabbing.
On Sunday, when Abhishek was asked why Shajahan is not being arrested, he told the media: “Those who are calling for Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest should take the appeals to the High Court which has tied the hands of the state administration. After the January 5 incident, wherein it was claimed that ED officers were attacked, the central agency filed a complaint. The High Court ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team, comprising representatives of state police and central agencies. Around 10-12 days later, ED appealed for a stay in the HC. Accordingly, the plea for a stay was accepted. This means that they wanted no investigation, arrest, summons, or interrogation. Did Mamata Banerjee do this? No. It was done by the Calcutta HC. The hearing for this is on March 6.” Abhishek categorically highlighted that it is the Bench of the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice which gave the stay order following the plea by the ED. He alleged that the court did not give the police at least a month to arrest Shajahan after an FIR was filed but apparently does not give any stay order against ED which drags cases for years.
Asked whether Trinamool is guarding Shajahan, as alleged by Opposition parties, he said: “I want to put this on record - Trinamool is not guarding Sheikh Shahjahan but the judiciary is. This is to ensure that Sandeshkhali remains in the news. Lift the stay and see what the state police does”.
“When TMC took action against Partha Chatterjee and Jyoti Priya Mallick, who is Sheikh Shahjahan? BJP had branded Suvendu Adhikari and Himanta Biswa Sarma as thieves but later inducted them into the party fold and gave plush posts. All thieves and corrupt people can join the BJP and wash off all their sins. This is Modiji’s guarantee,” he claimed. Asked if he will visit Sandeshkhali along with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he replied: “We will go when the time is right. We don’t want to go and create a political provocation in the area like BJP and CPI(M). After the Brigade, I will go to Sandeshkhali. I feel it is not prudent to hold a sabha there right now and wait for the situation to get better.”
