The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday ruled that the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government’s challenge to the Centre over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the Sandeshkhali incident without its consent is valid.
The West Bengal government had approached the Supreme Court in April after the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to investigate allegations of extortion, land grabbing, and sexual assault involving suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his associates in Sandeshkhali.
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This escalation followed a CBI raid that uncovered foreign-made weapons and ammunition, prompting the deployment of National Security Guard commandos to secure the area.
The controversy in Sandeshkhali began when Sheikh Shahjahan’s supporters attacked an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team on its way to conduct searches in an unrelated case.
This incident sparked widespread condemnation and a political storm, especially with the general election approaching. Criticism was aimed at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government, accusing it of delaying Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest until the High Court issued a direct order.
Sheikh Shahjahan had been under ED investigation for alleged money laundering linked to ration and land scams, causing political turbulence in Bengal. He was eventually arrested on February 29, 2004, amid increasing public pressure and legal proceedings.
Also Read: ‘CBI planted weapons’: TMC moves EC over Sandeshkhali raid, says agency tipped media to generate negative publicity
The Sandeshkhali issue has become a central topic in the election, with the BJP fielding Rekha Patra, a woman who accused Shahjahan of sexual assault, as a candidate from the Basirhat constituency.
In response, the Trinamool Congress has highlighted allegations against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, pointing to sexual assault accusations made by women wrestlers.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had also lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission against the CBI, claiming that the agency’s raid in Sandeshkhali was a deliberate attempt to tarnish the party’s image during the Lok Sabha elections.
The TMC accused the CBI of conspiring with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Security Guard (NSG) to orchestrate a smear campaign.
