Accusations of grave misconduct have surrounded Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, who was recently taken into custody by Bengali authorities. Shahjahan, implicated in the Sandeshkhali scandal, has been charged with sexual violence against women and illegal land expropriation. After eluding capture for over a month and a half, his apprehension was executed near midnight in the North 24 Parganas district by a specialized police squad, subsequently leading to his presentation before the Basirhat court.
The capture occurred shortly after the Calcutta High Court’s directive to incorporate Shahjahan in the Sandeshkhali legal proceedings, emphasizing the absence of any grounds to preclude his arrest. The Trinamool Congress has lauded the arrest, attributing it to the court’s decision which lifted the prior restrictions on his detainment, whereas the BJP has branded it as a charade, indicating that he was under the protective custody of the state police all along.
Sandeshkhali has been embroiled in protests with sections of women in the area beseeching justice for supposed violations by the TMC strongman. These allegations aren’t new to Shahjahan; his controversial history also involves murder accusations of BJP workers in 2019, as well as claims of money laundering connected to ration and land scams and acts of violence against utility workers, with a resulting FIR lodged against him.
The BJP has implicated the Mamata Banerjee administration in providing cover for Shahjahan, pointing to an instance when his partisans allegedly attacked an Enforcement Directorate team during a raid in Sandeshkhali. The West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has notably acknowledged Shahjahan’s arrest as a positive step towards justice. This action follows the governor’s ultimatum to the state government for resolution.
Governor Bose expressed optimism for a revival of legality in Bengal following this event. He was arrested in connection with the January attack on ED officials, with additional charges being investigated amid ongoing Sandeshkhali disputes. Although the ruling TMC credits themselves for the arrest, involving figures such as Abhishek Banerjee in their defense, the opposition continues to criticize the circumstances as mere facades to divert attention from ongoing issues.