The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe alleged land grab and sexual assault cases in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali. The court said it would itself monitor the investigation by the federal probe agency. It has also asked the CBI to file a report on the illegal conversion of agricultural land for pisciculture. Besides, the court has asked the Bengal government to provide adequate facilities and protection to the CBI officers and the victims of Sandeshkhali.
Notably, a CBI probe is already underway in the ED attack case in Sandeshkhali.
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Hailing the verdict as landmark, Advocate Alok Srivastav said he was going to file a caveat in the Supreme Court over the doubts that the Bengal government might challenge the Calcutta HC order in the apex court as they did in the ED attack case.
The BJP has hailed the Calcutta HC order, calling it a big victory for Sandeshkhali victims. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya has rebuked Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for ‘protecting’ Sheikh Shahjahan.
“Big win for the victims of #Sandeshkhali. Calcutta High Court’s bench, led by the Chief Justice, transfers all cases of women rape, assault, molestation and land grab in Sandeshkhali to the CBI, away from the WB Police. Mamata Banerjee had defended rapist Sheikh Shahjahan for over sixty days and called the protesting women propagandists, who were lying about rapes. Truth will prevail. @BJP4Bengalwill ensure justice,” Malviya posted on X.
Sandeshkhali Issue:
West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village has been embroiled in violence over allegations of sexual harassment by local women at the hands of now-jailed Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his close associates.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court questioned the safety of Sandeshkhali victims and slammed the state government over the issue (Image Credits: ANI)
It all started on January 5, when a mob thrashed and chased away Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had gone to Sandeshkhali to interrogate Shahjahan Sheikh in an alleged ration distribution scam. After that incident, local women came out in large numbers alleging that Shahjahan and his men had usurped their lands to set up prawn farms and had been sexually harassing local women for years.
BJP has made this a poll issue and PM Modi is vehemently raising this in his rallies in Bengal.