CBI files charge sheet against Shahjahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali incident

The CBI has filed a charge sheet against suspended TMC leader Shahajahan Sheikh and six others in connection with the January 5 attack on an Enforcement Directorate team at Sandeshkhali, officials said on Tuesday.

The agency filed its first charge sheet in the case on Monday before a special court, they said.

The ED team had come under attack from a 1,000-strong mob when they went to raid the house of Sheikh in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal.

The team had gone to arrest Sheikh because of his alleged close links with arrested former state food minister Jyoti Priya Mallick under scanner in the scam, they said.

Sandeshkhali, a riverine island around 80 km from Kolkata, has been in the news after local women alleged land-grabbing and sexual abuse by Sheikh and his men, who are involved in fish farming and trading.

The CBI has taken over investigation in three cases related to incidents on January 5, they said.

Sheikh was arrested by the state police on February 29 and the CBI took him under its custody on March 6, they said.