Tag: sandeshkhali

  • NIA Team Probing Medinipur Blast Case Stopped By Protesters In West Bengal, Car Vandalised |

    Kolkata: In a distressing repetition of past events, a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) encountered stiff resistance in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, while conducting investigations related to a blast case on Saturday. The latest incident is reminiscent of a similar attack on the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) team in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas where the officers were besieged and allegedly assaulted during a raid linked to an alleged food scam.

    According to sources within the NIA, the team dispatched to Purba Medinipur faced hostility during their probe into the blast case. Reports indicate that the vehicle transporting the NIA officers was targeted and vandalized amidst efforts to apprehend a suspect connected to the ongoing investigation.

    A video footage circulating on social media purportedly depicts residents gathering around the NIA vehicle, attempting to obstruct the apprehension of the suspect. The situation escalated as villagers resorted to pelting the vehicle with stones, further escalating tensions.

     

    #WATCH | West Bengal: NIA officers had to face protesters in Sandeshkhali while they were carrying out an investigation in connection with the Bhupatinagar, East Medinipur blast case. People allegedly tried to stop the NIA team from taking the accused persons along with them.… pic.twitter.com/UVoAO6uuPQ
    — ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2024

     

    Sandeshkhali, situated within the Sundarbans, has become a focal point of political discourse following allegations of sexual abuse and land encroachment against suspended TMC politician Shajahan Sheikh and his associates. The recent remarks by the Calcutta High Court condemning the events in Sandeshkhali also underscored the gravity of the situation.

    Earlier this year, Shahjahan Sheikh, the suspended TMC leader, triggered a political storm when an ED team conducting a raid at his residence in connection with a ration scam was met with mob violence. This incident came as a grim reminder of the escalating tensions and recurring confrontations in the region.

  • sandeshkhali: ‘Highly shameful’ even if only 1 pc of Sandeshkhali allegations true: Calcutta HC

    Observing that it would be “highly shameful” if even one per cent of the allegations of sexual assault in Sandeshkhali were found to be true, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday said that West Bengal’s image as the safest state for women will fall. Petitioner-lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal submitted a voluminous compilation before the court which she said contained around 100 affidavits of alleged victims of sexual assault, apart from those of land grabbing and violence.

    “If at least one per cent (of the allegations) is true, it is highly shameful,” a division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam said.

    The division bench was hearing a suo motu motion on alleged sexual assault and land grabbing at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and petitions seeking transfer of investigation of these cases to the CBI. Opposing the prayers for transfer of investigation, West Bengal’s Advocate General Kishore Dutta claimed before the division bench that central agencies have lost the trust posed in them.

    He questioned the conviction rate of central agencies in cases they were probing in the state, while the Enforcement Directorate’s counsel accused it of non-cooperation in taking forward investigations.

    Maintaining that it is shameful if even one of the affidavits is correct, the Chief Justice said, “The entire district administration and the ruling dispensation have to owe moral responsibility, 100 per cent responsibility.” He said that West Bengal boasts of a statistics report to be the safest state for women. “As per the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) report, West Bengal stands number one for safety of women; and if one affidavit filed by Tibrewal is proved to be right, the statistics falls, the public image falls, the opinion falls,” he said.

    “If it falls and crumbles, you cannot resurrect it,” he said.

    The court said that the world does not become dark if one closes his or her eyes.

    Tibrewal, who prayed for transfer of investigation to the CBI, placed before the division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya a number of complaints by alleged victims.

    Stating that she had gone to Sandeshkhali on three weekends along with other lawyers and notaries to record the affidavits, Tibrewal claimed that the voluminous files contained around 100 complaints by women alleging sexual assault, apart from several of alleged land grabbing and other instances of violence and destruction of property.

    Tibrewal also prayed for constitution of a committee by the court to look into the complaints and payment of compensation to the victims.

    The division bench had on March 7 granted permission to Tibrewal, who claimed to represent the victim women, to file an application/supplementary affidavit bringing on record whatever the alleged victims wish to place before this court.

    A report of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes was also filed by another petitioner-advocate Susmita Saha Dutta, who stated that she had visited Sandeshkhali on NCST’s invitation along with its members, before the court.

    After hearing the submissions of advocates on various prayers on Thursday, the division bench reserved judgment on the petitions.

    Accusing the state of non-cooperation, the central government’s Deputy Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi, representing the ED in this matter, asked how the central agencies could take forward the investigations in such a situation.

    He submitted that the high court has ordered investigations by central agencies in several cases in the state, including the violence following the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections, as the local police have been found wanting.

    The state’s Advocate General submitted that if required, a PIL can be instituted at the instance of the court as to how many CBI investigations were ordered by it in the last 10 years, and what are the results of those and what is the fate of the trials.

    He wondered about the conviction rate of the central probe agencies, like the CBI or the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

    Claiming that the court must be convinced that the people approaching it have no personal interest in the matter, Dutta asked what research was made by the persons who have come before the court on the Sandeshkhali issue.

    The AG stated that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are not in force anywhere in Sandeshkhali and things are under control.

    He prayed that the state police be allowed to investigate the complaints which have come forth.

    On the question raised by the AG as to why the alleged victim women did not come up with their complaints earlier, Tibrewal said it happens when general people cannot take atrocities anymore.

    She claimed to have moved a PIL before the high court in June 2017 over the alleged rape and murder of a 68-year-old woman in Sandeshkhali.

    Another petitioner-lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava, who also sought transfer of probe of the sexual assault and land grabbing cases in Sandeshkhali to the CBI, submitted that it is a fit case for transfer to CBI when there are allegations of bias against the local police by the alleged victims.

    Advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee, the amicus curiae appointed by the court in the matter, has already filed a report before it on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing of villagers.

  • ‘He Negotiated A Deal With Mamata Police’: Suvendu Adhikari On Shahjahan Sheikh’s Arrest |

    New Delhi: West Bengal Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that Shahjahan Sheikh, a key accused in the Sandeshkhali sexual assault and land grab case, has struck a deal with her and is in the “safe custody of Mamata Police.”
    The LoP, in a post on X, alleged that Shahjahan will be extended five-star facilities while in jail.

    “The Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali, Seikh Shahjahan, is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajurr-II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would be taken care of properly while in police and judicial custody,” Suvendu Adhikari said in his post.

    “He will be extended 5-star facilities during his time behind bars and will have access to a mobile phone, through which he will be able to lead the Tolamool Party virtually,” he added. “Even a bed in the Woodburn Ward will be kept ready and vacant for him if he chooses to spend some time there,” Adhikari said.

    The Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali – Seikh Shahjahan is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajur – II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would…
    — Suvendu Adhikari • (@SuvenduWB) February 28, 2024

    Shahjahan’s arrest comes three days after the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice ordered to add Sheikh Shahjahan to the Sandeshkhali case. On February 26, Calcutta HC Justice asked to issue a notice in the case and said, “There is no reason to not arrest him.”

    He had been evading arrest by both state and central agencies for over a month. Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing widespread protests against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh this month as a section of women were seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader.

    A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Shajahan Sheikh and his close aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion. 

  • Dilip Ghosh slams West Bengal govt, ‘Sandeshkhali just a trailer; TMC saving Shajahan Sheikh’ – The Economic Times Video

    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dilip Ghosh has alleged that Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) strong man and a prime accused in Sandeshkhali violence and atrocities against women, Sheikh Shahjahan, brought “votes” and “money” to TMC and that’s why he is not getting arrested. “What is happening in Sandeshkhali is just a trailer, same type of incidents are going to happen in every village of West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee and TMC are saving Shajahan Sheikh. All the teams and delegations are being stopped from going to Sandeshkhali and Mamata Banerjee feels like, this way they can suppress this incident, but this is not possible…”, Dilip Ghosh said.

  • Sandeshkhali: Police arrest Trinamool leader Shibu Hazra amid accusations of torture and assault

    Trinamool leader Shibu Hazra,accused by villagers for torturing people and assauling women in Sandeshkhali, was arrested by police on Saturday. This is second major arrest after arrest of Uttam Sardar another close aide of absconding Trinamool leader Sheikh Shajahan.

    DGP Rajeev Kumar said, “We will be reviewing all the 19 areas where Section 144 is imposed. In a day or two we will remove it in some areas to ensure people continue to lead a normal life..”

    “Some questions were raised about imposing Section 144 when there was no loss of life. It was because some people were trying to give a communal colour or spread lawlessness around the incident, which is why we imposed it to maintain law and order,.” Kumar added”There has been the case of one lady- it is also on record that she did not make any kind of allegations against us when we talked to her but what we have come to know is that in a 164 before a magistrate she has made one statement. We have added it and will bring all the perpetrator to the book whosoever it is,” Kumar said.

    Kumar told media persons, “In the case of land grabbing which seems to be the main factor, from tomorrow there will be camps, and teams from the land department will be visiting to register and accept complaints.”

    Meanwhile, Officials of West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) on Saturday visited the home of a woman in Sandeshkhali who has claimed that she and her child were assaulted last week by “miscreants in the presence of police”.The six-member team recorded the woman’s statement and arranged for two security officers to be deployed at her village home for protection.The woman has claimed that miscreants broke open her door one night last week. “I was assaulted by the miscreants in the presence of police in the middle of the night, and my child fell on the floor during the scuffle,” the woman told the WBCPCR team, adding that her husband fled the scene out of fear.

    She said she was able to identify two policemen of Sandeshkhali police station among the attackers.

    The WBCPCR has sought an action-taken report from the police and sought the district magistrate’s intervention in the matter.

    The team then visited Sandeshkhali police station and also arranged a medical checkup for the child.

    The woman has alleged that her family was attacked as they are BJP supporters. “My husband has fled the house and I could not get out after the incident to file a complaint and get my child treated,” she claimed.

    Tulika Das, chairperson of WBCPCR, said, “We have sent a letter to the Superintendent of Police. A team of CMOH will do a medical checkup of the child. As she is staying alone now, we will provide food and safety. When asked, she told me about the need.”

    The local villagers said the miscreants were dressed as policemen but none wore shoes.

    WBCPCR member Sudeshna Ray said, “We are looking into the matter. Our main focus is to provide safety and security of the child and mother. We are doing that and we will definitely take the necessary action. We will mention the two police officers identified by the woman. However, she could not identify others.

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  • Sandeshkhali: Local TMC leader held in Sandeshkhali land grab, sexual abuse case

    One of the prime accused in the case of alleged land grab and sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district was arrested on Saturday, police said. Local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra, who has been named in police complaints along with party colleagues and other two prime accused Shajahan Sheikh and Uttam Sardar, was nabbed from a hideout in Sandeshkhali.

    He will be produced before a local court on Sunday.

    “We have arrested Shibaprasad Hazra from Sandeshkhali this evening. He will be produced before the court tomorrow,” an officer of Nazat Police Station told PTI.Earlier, police have also arrested Uttam Sardar but Shajahan Sheikh remains absconding.

    With the fresh arrest, two of the three prime accused have been nabbed. A total of 18 people have been arrested in the case so far.

    Meanwhile, the police added IPC sections 376D (gangrape) and 307 (attempt to murder) in the case after a survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure before a magistrate, a source said.

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  • BJP forms 6-member panel to inquire Sandeshkhali sexual harassment incidents

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed a six-member committee of Union Ministers and MPs to visit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North Pargana district and collect information about the alleged incidents of sexual harassment and violence against women there.

    Union Minister Annapurna Devi has been named as the convenor of the high-level committee.

    Other members of the panel are Pratima Bhowmik, BJP MPs Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav, and Brijlal.They have been directed to visit the incident site, take stock of the situation, talk to the victims, and submit their report to BJP Party President JP Nadda.

    Nadda, in the notification, said that the alleged incidents are “heart-wrenching.”

    He further said that the incidents of harassment of women and hooliganism are “happening continuously in West Bengal” while the administration there remains a “mute spectator.””Law and order have collapsed in the entire state,” he added.Tension simmered in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district’s Basirhat subdivision on Tuesday during a protest by BJP workers led by state party president Sukanta Majumder against the alleged sexual harassment of women.

    Women in Sandeshkhali have been agitating for the last few days over alleged atrocities committed against them by TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides.

    Majumdar sustained injuries during the police lathicharge as a scuffle broke out between the police and party workers.

    The West Bengal government has reimposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in and around 500 metres of area in seven-gram panchayats, including Sandeshkhali.

    Sector 144 has been imposed in the area till February 19 to maintain law and order in view of the agitation by the BJP over allegations of sexual harassment by women in Sandeshkhali block.

    The political storm over the events at Bengal’s Sandeshkhali sparked violence in another part of the state on Tuesday.

    BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia slammed the West Bengal government on Wednesday over allegations of sexual harassment by women in Sandeshkhali block, and said that CM Mamata Banerjee is acting as a silent spectator.

    Addressing a press conference, Bhatia said that in West Bengal the law of the “anarchy ruler Mamata Banerjee prevails.”

    “West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is acting as a silent spectator. This is a matter of concern. This press conference highlights the lawlessness that prevails in West Bengal, where it is clear to every citizen that the rule of law does not prevail or exist, rather the law of the anarchy ruler Mamata Banerjee prevails,” he said,

    “When the perpetrator of the crime happens to be a TMC goon, the chief minister of the state doesn’t even care to uphold the dignity of the women of the state, especially Hindu women, being targeted by the goons of Sheikh Shahjahan, the absconder,” he added.

    Coming down heavily on the Chief Minister, the BJP leader alleged that West Bengal has turned into a state run by a government of rapists.

    “It will not be wrong to say that West Bengal has turned into a state where there is a government run by the rapist, of the rapist, for the rapist. Instead of standing in support of the victims, Mamata Banerjee is supporting the rapist,” Bhatia said.

    Bharatiya Janata Party IT cell head Amit Malviya took to X and slammed the West Bengal Police, accusing it of ‘pleasing’ Mamata Banerjee.

    “West Bengal police have crossed all limits. They have violated every rule in the book to please Mamata Banerjee, who is evil, and hasn’t stopped using rape and torture of Hindu women in Sandeskhali, for her politics,” he said.

    He further said that the party will not allow “women in West Bengal to become objects of lust for Mamata Banerjee’s criminal syndicate.”

    “Let Mamata Banerjee and the WB Police know that they can’t crush the BJP’s movement for justice for women in Sandeshkhali. We won’t allow women in West Bengal to become objects of lust for Mamata Banerjee’s criminal syndicate. The fight will continue,” he added.

    The Trinamool Congress has, however, blamed the BJP for trying to vitiate the atmosphere in Sandeshkhali.

    “The only motive of the BJP was to create issues and indulge in hooliganism while going to Sandeshkhali or reaching near the place. Stone pelting ensued, and people were injured there. They (BJP) say that women must be respected…Smriti Irmade instigating statements. The TMC condemns the conduct of the BJP, under the leadership of Sukanta Majumdar,” TMC Spokesperson Sashi Panja said.

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  • Women of Sandeshkhali recount their horror, make allegation against TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh – The Economic Times Video

    Sandeshkhali (WB): Local women of the Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal on February 14 spoke on the recent violence and the Section 144 imposed in the region. She said that the leader threatened them of killing their husbands and abducting their sons, and thus asked them to keep their mouth shut in front of media. “We do not trust the government here or the local police. We want our lands and our dignity back, will they provide it to us? Women were taken from here and kept inside the homes for the whole night. They were also beaten up. Nobody could speak anything because they threatened to kill our husbands or abduct our sons. The State police will never take into custody Shahjahan, Shibu and others,” said a local.