Kolkata, Vikas Kumar Gupta: After being under the protection of CBI, now 87 days after the incident of attack on ED officers in Sandeshkhali on January 5, the mastermind of the attack Sheikh Shahjahan has now been taken under the protection of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the instructions of the court. He will have to remain under ED protection till 13th April. After hearing the arguments of both the parties when he was presented in the ED court located at Bankshall Court on Monday, the court has directed to send Sheikh Shahjahan to ED custody till 13th April.
Bankshall Court directed to send him to ED custody till April 13
According to court sources, on this day the ED said in the court that the arrested accused had encroached upon the land of the tribals and after building a fish pond there, he started a fishing business and in return of converting the black money into white, he used to convert it into black money. The accused has already laundered money worth Rs 31 crore 20 lakh in this manner. The Enforcement Directorate has demanded from the court that the accused has to be interrogated on many important matters. ED claims that in order to provide justice to the women of Sandeshkhali, the accused has to be interrogated under his protection. If the people of Sandeshkhali do not get justice then it will be a matter of injustice for them. The Central Investigation Agency also claimed in the special court of ED that Shahjahan was running the syndicate in Sandeshkhali. Its ‘kingpin’ is himself. Shahjahan used to capture land from the people with the help of his close associates.
White used to make black money by capturing the sheep of tribal people and doing the business of catching fish there.
Shahjahan’s lawyer Zakir raised questions on the legality of the way the ED arrested Shahjahan. He told the court that he was not produced in the court within 24 hours of his arrest. He further claimed that in the first of the FIRs on the basis of which the ED had registered the ECIR against Shahjahan, Shahjahan’s name was in the charge sheet. Here, Sheikh Shahjahan stumbled and fell in the crowd as soon as he entered the court lockup on Monday. At that time a group of lawyers raised slogans demanding his hanging. He was also called a big criminal. Some lawyers said that whatever heinous act Shahjahan has done, death sentence is not enough to punish him for his crime. He should be given even more severe punishment.
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ED sources claim, money worth Rs 31 crore 20 lakh has been laundered till now
The ED claimed in the court on Monday that Shahjahan tried to mislead the investigators by showing some documents during interrogation. Apart from this, many new names have emerged in the investigation. In such a situation, if Shahjahan was not taken into custody and interrogated, then the ED expressed apprehension in the court that those whose names have come forward may run away or become out of reach. On this application of ED, the court directed Sheikh Shahjahan to be sent to ED custody till 13th April.
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