Following days of intense drama, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) secured custody of Sheikh Shahjahan, the alleged mastermind behind the assault on ED and CAPF teams in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district, on January 5.
After the Calcutta High Court's directive for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal police to transfer Shahjahan to CBI custody by 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, a CBI team arrived at the CID headquarters, Bhabani Bhavan in Kolkata, where Shahjahan had been detained since his arrest on February 29.
However, the CBI team faced a delay of over three hours before obtaining Shahjahan's physical custody.
While the CBI team awaited Shahjahan's handover at Bhabani Bhavan, CID officers escorted him to the state-owned S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital for a medical examination.
Following the medical check-up, Shahjahan was transferred to the CBI team upon his return to the CID headquarters. The convoy of CBI vehicles departed from Bhabani Bhavan around 7 p.m., with Shahjahan visibly distressed, seated silently in one of the vehicles.
Subsequently, Shahjahan was transported to the Central government-operated E.S.I. Hospital in Joka for further medical assessment. Once the medical examination was completed, he would be taken to CBI's Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata.
Earlier, on Tuesday, a CBI team had attempted to take Shahjahan into custody at Bhabani Bhavan following the High Court's order. However, they departed empty-handed as the state government had already filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's directive.
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