Despite a clear directive from the Calcutta High Court instructing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police to transfer Sheikh Shahjahan, the alleged mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF teams in Sandeshkhali on January 5, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) promptly, the CID refused to comply with the order on Tuesday.
Following the High Court's order, three CBI officials, accompanied by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, arrived at the CID headquarters located at Bhabani Bhavan around 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday for the official handover of Shahjahan along with all relevant case documents. However, despite over two hours of discussions, the CBI officials departed from Bhabani Bhavan at 7:05 p.m. without Sheikh Shahjahan.
The refusal to hand over Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI occurred because the state government has already appealed to the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's order. Therefore, the CID authorities declined to transfer the accused to the central agency on the same evening.
The West Bengal government approached the Supreme Court, with the bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, late on Tuesday afternoon, seeking immediate intervention in the matter. However, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the plea and advised the state government counsel to seek directions from the Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, through the Registrar (Judicial) of the apex court for an urgent hearing of the case.
Opposition parties have seized on the state government's move to approach the Supreme Court, arguing that it reflects the government's desperation to shield the accused.
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