Today, (15th April) Shajahan Sheikh, a suspended TMC leader, placed in judicial custody for 14 days by a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The arrest is connected to alleged money laundering activities and a previous incident involving an assault on ED officials. Sheikh’s remand marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation.
Today,15th April, The Supreme Court granted a two-week extension for the Lok Sabha Secretariat and others to respond to the petition filed by West Bengal bureaucrats challenging their summons by the privileges committee. The court also suspended the notices issued by the committee. This comes after BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar’s attempt to visit violence-hit Sandeshkhali, questioning his free speech rights.
The West Bengal government urgently requested the Supreme Court Today to list its plea challenging a Calcutta High Court decision to transfer the investigation of an attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali to the CBI. The state government emphasized the urgency, seeking immediate compliance with the High Court’s directive to transfer the investigation. This resulted in instructions to raise the matter with the Registrar General of the Supreme Court.
The matter was orally mentioned before Justice Sanjiv Khanna today (March 5th), who directed that the papers be placed before the CJI for appropriate listing. The Calcutta HC today issued an order transferring the investigation of an assault on ED officials in Sandeshkhali from the WB Police to the CBI. Additionally, the court directed that the custody of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, apprehended by the WB police, be transferred to the central agency.
The Calcutta High Court Today ordered the investigation of an assault on ED officials in Sandeshkhali to be transferred from the West Bengal Police to the CBI. The court also instructed that the custody of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, arrested in connection with the incident, be handed over to the central agency. Separate appeals by the ED and the West Bengal government indicate a critical moment in the state’s legal and political landscape, with implications for future collaborations or confrontations between state and central law enforcement agencies in India.
The Calcutta High Court Today has reserved its order on the Enforcement Directorate’s prayer to transfer the investigation from West Bengal Police to CBI regarding an attack on ED officials during a raid on TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh. Allegations of bias against state police were raised, and the CBI has expressed readiness to undertake the investigation if directed by the court.
In Kolkata, the ED objected to Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh’s request for anticipatory bail in a ration distribution scandal case, citing his significant influence. The judge reserved judgment after arguments, with the ED emphasizing Sheikh’s obstruction of an earlier search. Sheikh’s counsel argued against labeling him as absconding, pointing to pending bail plea and lack of money laundering evidence.
The Supreme Court has agreed to review a petition for a court-monitored CBI or SIT investigation into the unrest in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali village. The PIL, filed a day prior, requests compensation for victims, action against police officials, and a probe and trial outside the state. The village has seen protests over alleged sexual abuse by a local TMC leader.