Kolkata: A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had arrived at the West Bengal Police Headquarters earlier on Wednesday, finally got the custody of TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, who is facing allegations of sexual abuse and land grabbing in the Sandeshkhali.

Court emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the CBI

The CBI team had arrived at the Bhabani Bhaban Police Headquarters in Kolkata to take custody of Sheikh Shahjahan. Before handing him over to the CBI, Sheikh Shahjahan was taken to the SSKM hospital for a medical examination by the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID).

The Calcutta High Court earlier set a new deadline – 4.15 PM – for the West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) to hand over Shahjahanh Sheikh to the central probe agency.

In a major development, the Calcutta High Court earlier issued a contempt notice to the West Bengal CID, directing them to transfer the custody of Shahjahan Sheikh, a former Trinamool Congress figure facing allegations of extortion, land grabbing, and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali, to the CBI by the evening.

The Calcutta High Court, expressing dissatisfaction with the state police’s handling of the matter, ordered the transfer of custody to the CBI by 4:15 pm on Wednesday. Describing Sheikh as a prominent political influencer, the court emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by the CBI and directed the custody transfer by 4:15 pm.

Despite a previous court order, the West Bengal government had refused to transfer Sheikh’s custody to the CBI. Consequently, a CBI team dispatched to claim his custody departed from Kolkata’s police headquarters without their intended prize on Tuesday, leaving the legal tug-of-war unresolved. This decision prompted the urgent hearing of a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s directive for a CBI inquiry into the Sandeshkhali incident involving an attack on Enforcement Directorate officials.