West Bengal Police finally registered an FIR on Monday against the absconding Trinamool Congress leader based on the complaints filed against him by the villagers of Sandeshkhali.
The FIR has been registered at the Sandeshkhali Police Station on the basis of over 70 complaints filed against Sheikh Shahjahan by the villagers on various charges that include harassment of women, forceful grabbing of farmland and flooding farmland belonging to others with saline water in order to grab it on throwaway prices, among other things, confirmed a district police official.
Sheikh Shahjahan is also the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF personnel on January 5 in Sandeshkhali.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Calcutta High Court Chief Justice, Sivagnanam, clearly stated that there was no stay order on the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan and hence there was no restriction on the state police seeking to arrest him.
The Chief Justice’s observation is significant as it comes a day after the Trinamool Congress General Secretary, and party Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee claimed on Sunday that there was a Calcutta High Court stay order on arresting Sheikh Shahjahan.
“I am stating it clearly that there is no such restriction on police. The stay was just on the formation of the joint Special Investigation Team of the CBI and state police for investigating the attack on ED and CPAF personnel. The court never told the police to refrain from arresting Sheikh Shahjahan,” the Chief Justice stated.
The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court also directed the Registrar of the High Court to make Shahjahan a party in the Sandeshkhali-related case by issuing a notice to be published in the highest-circulated newspaper in the state.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for March 4.
8 jawans, driver killed as Maoists blow up security vehicle in Chhattisgarh
In the most gruesome Maoist attack in the New Year, eight jawans and a driver have been killed after the rebels blew up a security vehicle in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police sources said on Monday.
GRP arrested 35 human traffickers in Tripura in 5 months
The Government Railway Police (GRP) arrested 35 human traffickers in the last five months in Tripura for facilitating illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas into India, officials said on Monday.
23 injured in two separate road accidents in Tripura
At least 10 students and a woman suffered breathing problems and six of them immediately shifted to the government-run Govind Ballabh Pant Medical College and Hospital and their condition stated to be not serious.
India well prepared to handle HMPV, surveillance shows no unusual surge: Centre
India is well-prepared to handle respiratory illnesses and surveillance shows no unusual surge in the country, according to the government, as reports surface about rising cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China in the past few weeks.
PM Modi guarantees continuation of free welfare schemes in Delhi
No existing public welfare scheme in Delhi will be withdrawn after BJP comes to power in Delhi, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, virtually guaranteeing the continuation of free water, power and bus travel for women offered by the current AAP government.
Big milestone: Indian metro network now third-largest in the world
India has achieved a remarkable milestone by reaching 1,000 kilometres in its metro network, solidifying its position as the world's third-largest metro system.
‘Jagriti’ awareness drive to aware students about road safety and consumer rights
To make the students aware about road safety and consumer rights, the government is set to launch ‘Jagriti’ – an awareness programme from January 11 next, said minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Saturday.
Ex-CM accuses BJP of divisive politics to mask hide core issues
Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Saturday criticized the ruling BJP, accusing it of fostering divisions among Hindus, Muslims, Tribals, and Non-Tribals to divert attention from pressing issues such as rising prices, unemployment, and economic hardships.