The federal agency registered two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIR) cases — one regarding ration (PDS) corruption and the other about unlawful dealings in export-import transactions — against Shahjahan after it found many illegal financial transactions in the shrimp import and export business.

Sources said that ED questioned Shahjahan in the second ERIC case which involved land grab allegations. Shahjahan was earlier sent to judicial custody in the Sandeshkhali Enforcement Directorate (ED) assault case.

However, the case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the directive of the Calcutta High Court, ANI reported. 

The high court on Wednesday decided to give the CBI custody of Shahjahan, the prime accused, and the case related to the attack on ED officials, along with a contempt notice to the CID. The state police engaged in a game of “hide and seek,” the court added.

The West Bengal Police arrested the suspended TMC leader on February 29 after he allegedly eluded them for almost two months. Women in the North 24 Parganas district’s Sandeshkhali have accused Shahjahan and his allies of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion. 

On March 16, the CBI arrested three suspects, including expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan‘s younger brother Sheikh Alomgir in the Sandeshkhali ED assault case. 

The arrests of these three individuals came in the wake of January 5 attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who raided Shahjahan’s home, officials of the federal agency informed. The other two suspects arrested in the case are Mafaujar Molla and Sirajul Molla.

(With ANI inputs)

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Published: 31 Mar 2024, 08:30 AM IST