On Thursday, February 29, West Bengal Police apprehended Sheikh Shahjahan, the leader of the TMC, who had gone missing, from the Minakhan region in North 24 Parganas. He was barred from the Trinamool Congress for six years.
Shiekh Shahjahan
Sheikh Shahjahan, the leader of the Trinamool Congress was arrested by West Bengal police on Thursday amid a tense situation in Sandeshkhali due to accusations of “sexual harassment and land misappropriation.”
Shahjahan managed to avoid being apprehended by both state and federal authorities for more than a month until being apprehended in Minakhan, North 24 Parganas district. He has an appointment with the court today.
Located in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, Sandeshkhali has emerged as a hub for demonstrations against TMC chief Shahjahan Sheikh this month, especially from women who are demanding justice for alleged mistreatment they claim to have suffered at his hands.
Who is Sheikh Shahjahan?
Sheikh Shahjahan, often called “Bhai,” began working as an employee in Sandeshkhali, which is close to the border with Bangladesh. After entering the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 2012, he gained notoriety and was elected chairman of the Sandeshkhali TMC branch.
His rise to prominence in politics went on, and in 2023 he was elected to a Zilla parishad seat and appointed as the leader of the Sandeshkhali TMC unit. A ‘Child-Friendly Gram Panchayat’ and the prevention of child trafficking are two causes for which Shahjahan is well-known for his organizing skills and impassioned speeches.
Shahjahan was charged with murder when fighting broke out between TMC and members of the BJP in Sandeshkhali following the elections for the Lok Sabha in 2019, resulting in fatalities on both sides of the argument.
Why is Shiekh Shahjahan arrested?
Sheikh Shahjahan, the primary suspect in the Sandeshkhali scenario, where numerous women were sexually harassed for days and had their land taken, was dismissed by the Trinamool Congress on Thursday.
Immediately after his arrest by the West Bengal Police, Shahjahan’s six-year banishment from his party was announced. The TMC chieftain would no longer hold any party positions, according to Sheikh Shahjahan.
In relation to the claimed confiscation of land case, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) pillaged nearly half a dozen places in West Bengal earlier on February 23.
He states that he is an entrepreneur with yearly earnings of about ₹19.8 lakh and financial accounts of more than ₹1.9 crore. One day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned trip to West Bengal, the decision was made.
All about the Sheik Shahjahan case
Leader of the Trinamool Congress Sheikh Shahjahan was detained in West Bengal after he eluded law enforcement following a burglary on Enforcement Directorate agents. He was charged with sexual assault and appropriating land in the Sadeshkhali area.
After weeks of lobbying from various legislative and civil organizations requesting action, and with emotions in Sandeshkhali still high, the West Bengal government finally made the arrest.
When an ED team raided his home on January 5, Sheikh Shahjahan’s followers attacked them. A suspected allocation scam was linked to the ED operation. Sandeshkhali was breached by Sheikh Shahjahan.
From January 8 to February 18, The anti-Sheikh Shahjahan strikes began. Women from the area said that Sheikh Shahjahan and his allies were sexually assaulting women in Sandeshkhali, and they requested his arrest right away. Shibu Hazra, an adviser to Sheikh Shahjahan, was taken into custody on February 18.
Court’s role in Sheikh Shahjahan Case
Abhishek Banerjee, the executive secretary of the Trinamool Party, announced on February 25 that the high court has halted the probe into Sheikh Shahjahan. The High Court made it clear on February 26 that there had been no delay and Shahjahan needed to be taken into custody.
The West Bengal Police took Sheikh Shahjahan into custody on February 29. was placed under 10-day police detention. The case was handed over to CID. He was removed by Trinamool for six years.
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