Sandeskhali ED attack: CBI arrests 3 associates of Shahjahan Sheikh

The CBI on Monday arrested three alleged associates of suspended TMC leader Shahajahan Sheikh including his security guard in connection with the January 5 attack on an Enforcement Directorate team, officials said.

The agency took into custody Sheikh's security guard Didar Baksh Molla, who is the complainant in one of the three FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police after the attacks. These FIRs have been handed over to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court.

Besides Baksh Molla, the CBI also arrested Jaiuddin Molla, the Panchayat Pradhan of Sarberia village, and another person Faruk Akunji.

All three are close associates of Sheikh who is considered the mastermind behind the attack, the officials said.

"They will be produced before a magistrate tomorrow," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

The CBI had summoned nine close aides and associates of Sheikh for questioning in the case on Monday, the officials said.

The agency suspects that these nine individuals were allegedly part of the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5 and instigated the crowd to target the team when they went to raid the premises of Sheikh at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, they said.

Sheikh, whose role in the attack is under probe, is in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till March 14, the officials said.

The CBI has taken over investigation in three cases related to incidents on January 5, when ED officials were attacked by an around 1000-strong mob when they went to search Sheikh's premises in connection with the agency's investigation into an alleged ration distribution scam case. A former state minister has been arrested in the ration case.

Sheikh was arrested by the state police on February 29, a day after the high court ordered that the CBI, ED or the West Bengal police could arrest him.