In more trouble for absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has begun a fresh probe against him in for land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. Officials told CNN-News18 that the agency has filed a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Sheikh and carried out raids at six locations in the case.
Sources said a Howrah resident associated with the fisheries business is one of those being raided by the ED. He is suspected to be associated with Shahjahan. The fresh charges against the absconding TMC leader are for illegally grabbing agricultural land in Sandeshkhali and neighbouring areas and changing the character of the land. Locals have complained that the agricultural land was illegally converted for pisciculture. The ED is probing if the proceeds of this alleged crime were laundered using the fisheries businessman in Howrah, Birati and other locations.
The West Bengal Police is probing an FIR for land grabbing registered in Bashirhat’s Najat police station while ED has taken up the probe in the money-laundering aspect of this case.
The agency has also sent its fourth summons to Shahjahan in the ration scam. The TMC leader has been asked to appear at the Kolkata office of the agency on February 29 by 11am. The ED wants to question Shahjahan about the fresh leads that have come up in its probe against former Bengal food and civil supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick who was arrested in October 2023.
Shahjahan has evaded summons so far. On January 5, an ED team out to raid him in Sandeshkhali was attacked and three officials were injured.
The Kolkata High Court has come down heavily on the state government for allowing “one man to hold the area to ransom”.
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