Sandeshkhali Row: Arrest TMC Leader Shahjahan Sheikh, Says Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court on Monday, February 26, ordered the West Bengal government and state police to arrest Shahjahan Sheikh, who is accused of sexual atrocities and land grabs in the Sandeshkhali area.

The Calcutta High Court said, "There is no stay on his arrest. A stay on investigation doesn't mean a stay on arrest. There is an FIR registered, he is branded as an accused. He will have to be arrested." TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said that his government is not protecting Shahjahan's arrest but following the high court order.

"Trinamool Congress is not shielding Shiekh Shahjahan, he is being shielded by Calcutta high court stay orders based on an ED appeal," he said on Sunday. Additionally, the HC also ordered that public notice should be issued in Bengali and English newspapers as Shahjahan remained untraceable.

A bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had, last week, questioned the West Bengal government over its failure to arrest Shahjahan Sheikh, the TMC leader, who the bench had said was the "root cause" of all that was happening in Sandeshkhali.  The court has adjourned the matter till March 4, 2024.