Sandeshkhali: Governor writes to state, seeks Shajahan's immediate arrest

Kolkata: In the backdrop of the Calcutta High Court directing the police to arrest TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has asked the state government to file a report within 72 hours detailing the atrocities involving Shajahan in Sandeshkhali, an official said.

The Governor also asked the state to investigate the alleged incident of a child being thrown away by miscreants in Sandeshkhali and submit a report to his office, the official told PTI.

"In the light of the decision of the Calcutta High Court, the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents, Shajahan Sheikh, may be arrested immediately, failing which reasons for the same may be reported within 72 hours," Bose wrote to the state government on Monday night.

"The veracity of a reported incident of a child being thrown by miscreants may be looked into and if found to be correct, strict action may be taken and report submitted," Bose's letter read.

The high court on Monday directed that Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the superintendent of police, and the state's home secretary representing the West Bengal government be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and the land grab of tribal people.

"Therefore, the said person shall be arrested by the concerned police authorities," the court directed.

Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing protests for the past few weeks over allegations of land grab and sexual atrocities on women by Sheikh and his supporters.

Several persons including Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, alleged associates of Sheikh, were arrested.

However, Sheikh himself has been evading the authorities since January 5, when ED officials who had gone to raid his premises at Sandeshkhali were attacked. The governor submitted a report to the Union Home Ministry a few days ago.