The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Tuesday that it has provisionally attached properties valued at approximately Rs 13 crore, belonging to Sheikh Shahjahan, a now-suspended leader of the Trinamool Congress. Shahjahan is accused of orchestrating the assault on ED and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) teams in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, on January 5.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ED disclosed that it has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets totaling Rs 12.78 crore. These assets include 14 immovable properties such as apartments, agricultural land, fisheries land, and buildings located in Serberia, Sandeshkhali, and Kolkata. Additionally, two bank accounts linked to Shahjahan and others have been frozen under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED's statement followed the refusal of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police to hand over Shahjahan to CBI officers, despite a clear directive from a division bench of the Calcutta High Court earlier in the day. The CID cited the state government's decision to challenge the Calcutta High Court order in the Supreme Court as the reason for their refusal.
Recalling the events of January 5, an ED team, accompanied by CAPF personnel, had visited Sandeshkhali to interrogate Shahjahan regarding their investigation into a multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal. However, upon reaching Shahjahan's residence, they were confronted by over a thousand supporters of the local Trinamool leader, resulting in a violent attack on the ED and CAPF teams. Several ED officers sustained severe injuries in the assault and had to be hospitalized.
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