Sandeshkhali Case: Sheikh Shahjahan Handed Over to CBI by Bengal Police After Calcutta High Court Deadline Ends

Following a directive from the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal Police handed over Sheikh Shahjahan, a key accused in the Sandeshkhali case, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday, March 6. Earlier on Wednesday, the High Court had set a deadline for the Bengal Police to hand over Shahjahan's custody to the CBI by 4:15 PM.

This directive came after the Court observed that the investigation into the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in the Sandeshkhali case should be transferred to the CBI.  The handover took place at the Bhabani Bhaban Police Headquarters in Kolkata.

#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal | Sandeshkhali accused Shahjahan Sheikh being brought out of Bhabani Bhaban Police Headquarters by the CBI team. He has been handed over to the CBI.

Calcutta High Court today observed that investigation into the attack on ED officials should be… pic.twitter.com/IiZ5wk0tG3

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2024

Visuals showed Shahjahan being escorted out of the premises by the CBI team. Shahjahan, a former leader of the Trinamool Congress party, is accused of being involved in an attack on ED officials during a raid in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal.  The incident sparked controversy, with the BJP accusing the TMC government of shielding Shahjahan and interfering with the investigation.

The CBI had earlier sought to take over the investigation, leading to the legal battle that culminated in Wednesday's court order.