Calcutta HC grants protection to ED officers after attack
Several Enforcement Directorate officers were attacked by a mob allegedly led by TMC leader Shah Jahan Sheikh who was being investigated by the ED
Days after the attack on Enforcement Directorate officers by a mob of 800-1000 people while they were on their way to raid TMC leader Shah Jahan Sheikh’s house in connection to the alleged irregularities in West Bengal’s ration system, the Calcutta High Court has come forward and directed that no coercive steps can be taken by the state police against the officers in connection with the FIR lodged against them.
The Enforcement Directorate has stated that when their team went to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district to raid the TMC leader, they along with the CRPF officers present with them were attacked by a mob of people who are believed to be supporters of the leader using weapons such as lathis, bricks and stones. During this attack, three of its officers were injured and their belongings were snatched after which they had to leave behind their vehicle and take rickshaws or two-wheelers to escape to safety outside Sandeshkhali.
The Governor, after the incident summoned top Bengal officials to meet him over the attack on the ED officers. “It is a ghastly incident. It is alarming and deplorable. It is the duty of a civilised government to stop barbarism and vandalism in a democracy. If a government fails in its basic duty, then the Constitution of India will take its course,” Governor CV Anand told news agency ANI on Friday.
BJP’s Suvendu Adhukari, who is the Leader of Opposition in Bengal also took direct aim at Mamata Banerjee over law and order issues in her state. “… Due to Mamata Banerjee’s assurance and encouragement, criminals like Sheikh Shahjahan have assembled Rohingyas to work as his henchmen and establish a reign of terror,” Mr Adhikari said in a post on X.
After the attack, cases were filed against the ED officers for ‘criminal trespass’ for attempting to ‘force their way’ into Sheikh’s house without showing any warrant and in violation of the law and for ‘outraging woman’s modesty’. The FIR against ED officials was registered are under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 441 (criminal trespass), 379 (intention to commit theft) and 354 (outraging a woman’s modesty). Meanwhile, two other cases were filed for rioting and assaulting public servants.
After hearing the matter, Justice Jay Sengupta of the Calcutta High Court verbally directed that no coercive steps can be taken in connection with an FIR against ED officials who went to Sandeshkhali to search the premises of Sheikh.
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