West Bengal: CBI team visits Sandeshkhali, meet villagers to probe land grabbing allegations

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], May 2 : A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team visited Rajbari area of Sandeshkhali on Thursday to probe land grabbing allegations against Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

CBI team met villagers who had alleged land grabbing and torture of women by former Trinamool Congress strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates.
A complainant from Rajbari said, "Two years ago Sheikh Shahjahan and his close aid grabbed my land. I went to every police stations nearby me but they didn't responded. Panchayat demanded Rs 10,000 from me to deliver justice. Now I lodged complaint online on CBI portal. I wish I will get my land soon."

Meanwhile, CBI has taken a significant step in its investigation into the attack on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Sandeshkhali and sent notices to two individuals, Sirajul Mir in the Akunji Para Mor area in Sandeshkhali and local TMC leader Aftar Mollah in Mollapara in Rampur closely associated with Sheikh Shahjahan.
The notice asked them to appear before the CBI office in connection with the attack on the ED on January 5.
Shahjahan, a former TMC strongman, was accused of sexual violence and land grab by several women in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali. He was arrested on February 29, after 55 days on the run, in connection with a case related to the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials.
The Calcutta High Court in the Sandeshkhali case said that the CBI in its report has mentioned huge volumes of land grabbing allegations and lack of proper cooperation from the state authorities. The Court also directed the state to deploy more staff to help with the investigation.
Calcutta High Court chief justice division bench also allowed NHRC (National Human Rights Commission of India) as a party in Sandeshkhali case. The CBI have already started their investigation into the matter. The CBI at this point, doesn't want to reveal the contents of the report as the investigation is still on and it may harm the process.
The court also said that it will monitor the whole investigation closely and mentioned that there should be confidence installed within the victims of sexual harassment and ordered to deploy a team of lady CBI officers.
On Monday, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on West Bengal government's plea challenging Calcutta High Court order directing a CBI investigation into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali, till July.
West Bengal government moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Calcutta High Court's April 10 order for a CBI investigation into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali.
Earlier on April 25, following the Calcutta High Court order, the CBI registered an FIR against five people and unknown others in connection with the ongoing probe into cases concerning land grabs and crimes against women (sexual) in Sandeshkhali.
The women of Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district came out on the streets earlier against the ruling TMC and Shahjahan, accusing the strongman and his aides of perpetrating gross excesses and atrocities on them while also gobbling up their land. Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion.
The Basirhat court had sent Shahjahan to CBI custody. After leaving the court, Shahjahan was seen in tears. The video was posted by BJP leader Amit Malviya on his X account.