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Court's deadline over, CBI yet to receive custody of Shajahan Sheikh from CID

Earlier on Tuesday, the CBI's attempts to secure custody of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh were thwarted by the West Bengal CID, citing the state government's appeal to the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order.

- Kolkata - UPDATED: March 6, 2024, 05:53 PM - 2 min read

CBI officials leave without taking custody of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accused in the Sandeshkhali case, after West Bengal Government refused to hand over his custody to the CBI, at the Bhavani Bhawan (West Bengal Police headquarters), in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Court's deadline over, CBI yet to receive custody of Shajahan Sheikh from CID

CBI officials leave without taking custody of Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, accused in the Sandeshkhali case, after West Bengal Government refused to hand over his custody to the CBI, at the Bhavani Bhawan (West Bengal Police headquarters), in Kolkata on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Despite a fresh directive from the Calcutta High Court this morning, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is still awaiting custody of Shajahan Sheikh, the accused in the Sandeshkhali ED official attack case, from the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

A team of CBI officials arrived at the CID headquarters on Wednesday evening, intending to take custody of Sheikh following the court's orders. However, by the court's stipulated deadline of 4:15 PM, Sheikh had not been handed over, leading to criticism from various quarters.

"This is truly shameful. Despite the Calcutta High Court setting a 4:15 deadline, Shajahan Sheikh has not been handed over. This only proves that the TMC government has the least regard for the judiciary," remarked BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh on the delay.

In a renewed directive on Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered the West Bengal government to transfer custody of Shajahan Sheikh to the CBI by 4:15 PM.

The court reiterated its previous judgment, directing the state to expedite the transfer of the Sandeshkhali ED official attack case to the CBI and to hand over the primary accused, Sheikh, to the central agency without delay.