Kolkata:

Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, main accused in Sandeshkhali case, has been arrested, police said.. The leader and his associates have been accused of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.

Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested around midnight in the North 24 Parganas district by a special Bengal police team. He had been on the run for 55 days. After the arrest, he was taken to the Basirhat court.

The team had been monitoring the leader’s activities for several days leading up to the arrest, officials said.

The arrest comes three days after the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice ordered to add Sheikh Shahjahan to the Sandeshkhali case.

On February 26, Calcutta HC Justice asked to issue a notice in the case and said, “There is no reason to not arrest him.”

“Public notice shall be given in this case. There is no stay order in Sandeshkhali cases. There is no reason to not arrest him,” the Court said.

The ruling Trinamool Congress hailed the arrest saying it was possible only after the court cleared the decks and accused the opposition of exploiting the earlier “embargo” on his arrest.

The BJP dubbed the arrest as scripted and claimed he was in the safe custody of West Bengal Police.

Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing widespread protests against the Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh this month as a section of women are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader.

A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion. The leader who had been on the run since January 5, has been previously embroiled in several criminal cases, including the murder of 3 BJP workers in 2019.

The Enforcement Directorate has accused Sheikh Shahjahan of money laundering in the ration and land scams. There were also allegations of violence against power department employees in West Bengal, resulting in an FIR filed against him.

The BJP accused the Mamata Banerjee government of shielding Sheikh Shahjahan after a mob of his supporters attacked an Enforcement Directorate team that went to Sandeshkhali to conduct raids against him in a corruption case.