Sandeshkhali ED Attack: CBI Initiates 'Attempt to Murder' Probe Against Shahjahan Sheikh

Sandeshkhali: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigating the attack on the team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, has now initiated probe against suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh under section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The central probe agency has added section 307 in the ED officials attack case. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and others were demanding that the matter should be investigated as an attempt to murder the officials in Sandeshkhali. 

According to the sources, the CBI is investigating the case, which was registered under sections 307,326, 392, 395, 397, 426, 440, 342, 143 and 109 of the IPC. 

CBI took over Shahjahan Sheikh's custody after the order of Calcutta HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation had lodged an FIR against former TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh on March 5, soon after the Calcutta High Court gave permission to take Shahjahan Sheikh’s custody from the West Bengal CID, which earlier refused to hand him over to the CBI. 

Sheikh has been named as the main accused in the FIR related to the attack on the Enforcement Directorate team in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. 

The CBI in the FIR has called Sheikh the convener of TMC Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas and has named unknown persons as an additional accused.

Reportedly, the CBI has lodged two more FIRs, including one against the assault that the ED officials faced while arresting another TMC leader Shankar Addhya in Bangaon on the intervening night of January 5 and 6. The third FIR has been lodged in the matter of damage to public property like vehicles of the ED. All the three cases have been entrusted for investigation to the Kolkata branch of the CBI. The FIRs have also attached the Calcutta High Court order of March 5 that gave the go-ahead to the CBI.