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‘Even If 1% True, It's Absolutely Shameful’: Calcutta HC Rebukes Bengal Govt Over Sandeshkhali

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday slammed the West Bengal government during a hearing on the Sandeshkhali violence. The court called the case “extremely shameful,” saying that even if a small part of it was one percent true, it is absolutely shameful. A bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam reserved its verdict on various pleas seeking an investigation into reported violence against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. These incidents allegedly involved former TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates, Live Law reported.

The court also said Shahjahan Sheikh's custody will be handed over to CBI.

“The entire district administration and ruling dispensation must owe a moral responsibility. Even if [the affidavit] 1% is true it is absolutely shameful. And West Bengal says it is safest for women? If one affidavit is proved to be right all of this falls,” Justice TS Sivagnanam stated. In February, the high court initiated action on its own accord regarding reports of sexual assault on women “at gunpoint” and the alleged transfer of tribal land in Sandeshkhali. In March, the court instructed the transfer of the investigation into the January 5 attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali, along with the custody of the main accused, Shahjahan Sheikh, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, requested that all criminal cases against Shahjahan Sheikh be transferred to the probe agency, regardless of whether they had already been transferred. However, this request was objected to by the Advocate General. The court directed the Advocate General to provide the records of the cases against Shahjahan to the court. After reviewing the cases, a decision would be made regarding whether they should be handed over to the ED.