Sandeshkhali unrest: Cal HC says no restraint on arrest of Shajahan Sheikh

The Calcutta High Court on Monday clarified there is no stay on arrest of Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shajahan, who has been accused of sexual atrocities and land grab in Sandeshkhali.

The court directed that Sheikh, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the state home secretary be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grab of tribal people.

A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed that a public notice be given in newspapers by the high court registry stating that Sheikh has been impleaded in the matter, as he is on the run and not seen in public since a mob attack on ED officials on January 5.

On a prayer by court-appointed amicus curiae for a clarification on whether there is a restraining order on police from arresting Sheikh, the division bench said there is no such stay and the police can arrest him.

The court said that in a different matter, it had only stayed the constitution of a joint special investigation team of the CBI and the state police, which had been ordered by a single bench to investigate the attack on ED officials.

The division bench, including Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed that the matter will come up for hearing again on March 4.