ED gets nod to file contempt petition against Bengal govt for not giving Shajahan’s custody to CBI
Meanwhile, the Bengal government approached Supreme Court seeking the urgent listing of its plea challenging the Calcutta high court's order to transfer the probe into attack on ED officials to CBI
The ED has been given the green light to file a contempt petition against the West Bengal government for not handing over custody of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh to the CBI, despite a court order to that effect.
On March 6, the Calcutta high court granted leave to the ED to file the contempt petition against the state government on a plea made by deputy solicitor general Dhiraj Trivedi, appearing for the ED, who argued that the CBI was losing precious time of Sheikh's custody.
The Calcutta high court had on Tuesday ordered the investigation of the mob attack on ED officials to be transferred from the state police to the CBI. The CBI had gone to search the premises of the suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5 in connection with a ration scam probe but they were alleged attacked by Sheikh’s associates.
CBI sleuths reportedly waited for over two hours at the CID headquarters in Bhavani Bhawan for Sheikh's custody on Tuesday (March 5) evening, but returned empty-handed. after the state agency said the West Bengal government had moved the Supreme Court on the matter on Tuesday evening.
A division bench comprising justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharyya granted leave to the ED to file the petition.
West Bengal govt approaches CBI
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Wednesday was doing its best to stall the CBI taking over Sheikh’s case in the alleged mob attack on ED officials. The state government knocked on Supreme Court’s door seeking the urgent listing of its plea challenging the Calcutta high court's order to transfer the probe into the attack on ED officials to the CBI.
"You move an application. The CJI takes note of (urgent listing) applications during lunch hour. He will order listing of the plea," Justice Sanjiv Khanna said responding to the plea.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the West Bengal government, before a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, said that the central probe agency wanted immediate compliance of the high court order by transferring probe to it.
On Tuesday evening too, the state government had mentioned the plea for urgent listing.
Two separate appeals
Both, the ED and the West Bengal government, had moved separate appeals in the high court challenging a single bench order which had on January 17 ordered the formation of a joint special investigation team (SIT) of the CBI and the state police to probe the mob attack on the ED officials.
While the ED wanted the probe to be transferred to the CBI solely, the state prayed the investigation be given to its police.
The high court, while agreeing to ED's request, also directed that the custody of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, who was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack, be handed over to the central agency
A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam had on Tuesday directed the transfer of investigation to the CBI into the mob attack on ED officials, and ordered that the suspended TMC leader Sheikh, who was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29, be handed over to CBI officials by 4.30 pm the same day.
Sandeshkhali women stopped
Meanwhile, a few buses in which women of Sandeshkhali were travelling to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in West Bengal's Barasat on Wednesday were allegedly stopped at multiple places by the police citing "security protocol".
PM Modi is scheduled to address the rally at Kachari Maidan in Barasat, the district headquarters town of North 24 Parganas where Sandeshkhali is located.
The state BJP made arrangements for buses to take the women of Sandeshkhali, who were allegedly tortured by suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides, to the rally venue, around 80 km away.
"The buses were first stopped at the Biswa Bangla Gate in New Town, and then again at Airport Gate 1 on the way to Barasat, citing security protocol. The police are trying to stop us from going to the PM's rally," a BJP leader on one of the buses alleged.
Security protocol for PM Modi
Police, however, said that traffic movement on the stretch was restricted due to "security protocol" as the PM will travel by that road to Barasat.
"The traffic movement on the entire stretch has been restricted due to security reasons," a police officer said.
State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar had earlier said that if the women of Sandeshkhali want, the BJP will facilitate a meeting between them and the PM.
(With inputs from agencies)
