‘Arrest Sheikh Shahjahan’, Calcutta High Court Reprimands Bengal Govt in Sandeshkhali Case

Kolkata: There is no order stopping Bengal Police from arresting Sheikh Shahjahan, the main accused in sexual assault and land grab allegations from Sandeshkhali, said the Calcutta High Court reprimanding the West Bengal government.

“We clarify there is no stay on arrest in any proceeding. There is only a first information report and he (Shahjahan) has been named as an accused. Obviously, he needs to be arrested,” the court said.

The Calcutta High Court made this statement in response to the TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s claim on Sunday that the Bengal government is unable to arrest Shahjahan because the court had “tied the hands the police”.

On Monday, the High Court was informed that 43 FIRs were registered till December last year, of which 42 had resulted in charge-sheets. Since February 8, 24 cases of land grabbing and various sections were filed. Reacting to it, the court observed, “Surprising no arrests were made in four years.”