Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed that no coercive steps can be taken against Enforcement Directorate officers in connection with an FIR lodged against them following the Sandeshkhali raid. The attack happened when they went to Shajahan Sheikh’s house for a raid in connection with alleged irregularities in the state’s ration system.
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WEST BENGAL: The Calcutta High Court recently issued a temporary suspension of legal proceedings related to an FIR lodged against officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This FIR was initiated by Didar Baksh Molla, the caretaker at the residence of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh.
The backdrop of this legal development involves an incident on January 5, where a team from the ED faced hostility from locals in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district, during a raid at Mr. Sheikh’s home. The ED team, which had gone to execute a search operation, was met with violence, resulting in injuries to three of its officers. This led the ED to file an FIR regarding the incident. Conversely, Molla accused the ED officials of committing theft, assault, and disrespecting women’s modesty during the raid.
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Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, responding to these events, put a hold on the FIR proceedings until March 31. The ED’s counsel highlighted that the officers had initially communicated with Shahjahan Sheikh before the raid, but were subsequently attacked by a large mob, estimated to be around 800-900 people.
In a related legal matter, a division bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the assault on the ED officials. The bench remarked on the inadequacy of the petitioner’s research and stated that the petition could not be entertained, noting that the ED is fully equipped to handle such situations.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest near the Nazat police station in the North 24 Parganas district, condemning the aggression against the ED officers. The protest, attended by State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, saw a significant police presence. Majumdar commented on the ongoing situation, suggesting that if the state government struggles to locate Sheikh Shahjahan, assistance from the central government and its forces could expedite the process.
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Six days following the incident, Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan remains elusive. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, when questioned about the matter, refrained from commenting, citing the sub-judice nature of the case.
This series of events and legal proceedings in the Calcutta High Court highlight the complexities and tensions surrounding the enforcement actions of the ED and the political dynamics in West Bengal.