Sandeshkhali Violence: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan, the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case, was arrested on Thursday morning after absconding for a substantial period. The West Bengal Police arrested him from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas. TMC leader is being brought out of Basirhat Court by the State Police. He has been remanded to 10-day Police custody.

Shajahan was on the run since January 5, when a mob allegedly affiliated with him attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had gone to SandeshKhlai to search the premises of Sheikh in connection with its probe into an alleged ration distribution scam in the state.

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Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing widespread protests against the TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh as a section of women are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader. Women in Sandeshkhali had accused Sheikh and his supporters of "land grabbing and sexual assault" under coercion. 

Last week, the tension in the affected region intensified when women hit the streets again carrying sticks and brooms demanding the arrest of Shahjahan and his close associates.

On Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court directed that apart from the state police, the CBI and ED can also arrest  Shahjahan. A division bench issued an order saying that since Sheikh has been on the run for a substantial period, it will be "well open to the CBI or the ED also to arrest" the fugitive.

Earlier, TMC Rajya Sabha MP-elect Sagarika Ghose stated that Sheikh Shahjahan would be arrested very soon. Ghose said no one is being protected and no one can escape the law. 

"Key aides of Sheikh Shahjahan have been arrested. So, if the Government of Bengal wanted to shield Sheikh Shahjahan, would it arrest and put behind bars his key aides? No one is being shielded; no one is being protected. No one will escape the law...The TMC and the Bengal Government are on the ground; they are working and there is every reason to believe that Sheikh Shahjahan will be arrested very soon," Ghose said as quoted by news agency ANI.

(With Agencies Inputs)