The Enforcement Directorate (ED) approached the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, asserting that the West Bengal Police was not cooperating with the federal agency in the Sandeshkhali case involving Shahjahan Sheikh, the primary accused. The ED accused the Bengal Police of non-cooperation and urged the court to hold them contemptuously. Justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharyya of the division bench granted permission to the ED to file a contempt petition against the West Bengal government.
Deputy Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi, representing the ED, requested permission to file the contempt petition and sought an urgent hearing, emphasizing the loss of precious time in securing Sheikh’s custody from the CBI.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the high court directed the transfer of the investigation into a mob attack on ED officials that occurred during a search of Sheikh’s premises in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district, on January 5 in connection with a ration scam probe. The investigation was to be transferred to the CBI.
The West Bengal government informed the Supreme Court that the transfer of the investigation to the CBI in the Sandeshkhali case violated the law established by the apex court. However, the Supreme Court denied any relief to the state government.
On Tuesday, the government challenged the Calcutta High Court’s order to hand over documents and former TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI by 4:30 pm. In its plea, accessed by CNN-News18, the government argued that the high court’s order violated the state’s right to judicial review. The government also contended that the order made baseless allegations against the state’s investigating agency by directing the transfer of the probe to the CBI.
According to reports, CBI officials waited over two hours at the CID headquarters in Bhavani Bhawan for Sheikh’s custody. Still, they returned empty-handed after being informed that the West Bengal government had approached the Supreme Court.
On March 5, the CBI registered three FIRs against Shahjahan Sheikh. He had been arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack on ED officials, following which the state government handed over the case to the CID.
Both the ED and the West Bengal government filed separate appeals in the high court challenging a single bench order that established a joint special investigation team (SIT) comprising the CBI and the state police to probe the mob attack on the ED officials. The ED sought sole transfer of the probe to the CBI, while the state requested that the investigation be conducted by its police.
In its decision, the Calcutta High Court transferred the investigation into the mob attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali to the CBI. The court directed the police to transfer the custody of Shahjahan and the case materials to the CBI by 4:30 pm. However, a CBI team left the police headquarters empty-handed at 7:30 pm after failing to obtain custody. The high court emphasized the necessity of a fair, honest, and comprehensive investigation to maintain public confidence in the impartiality of state agencies. The division bench expressed its unwavering belief that this case was ideal for investigation by the CBI.
