Kolkata, Feb 29 (UNI) Absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh has been arrested by the West Bengal Police, South Bengal ADG Suprotim Sarkar said on Thursday.
Sarkar told reporters that the TMC leader was arrested on Wednesday night from Bamonkhola village under Minakhan and sent to the court lock up at the Basirhat district and Session court in North 24 Parganas.
Shahjahan is an accused in cases of sexually harassing women and grabbing of land of tribal people at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district.
He was produced before a court in Basirhat which remanded him to police custody for ten days.
The accused, who was evading arrest since allegedly orchestrating attacks on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and CRPF jawans on January 5 at his home in Sarberia under Sandeshkhali, was rounded up under various sections of non-bailable offences, sources said.
Advocate Raja Bhowmick, who appeared for the accused, said the police had sought 14 days custody, but the court allowed a 10-day remand after rejecting the bail prayer moved by the defence.
Meanwhile, fresh prohibitory orders under Section 144 CR PC were clamped at various places (49) in and around Sandeshkhali after Shahjahan's arrest, by the sources said.
Sarkar said the state police had some lawful obligations due to a Calcutta high court order that stood in the arrest of the TMC leader. He was nabbed as the court revoked the order two days back.
Sarkar also asked why the Enforcement Directorate (ED) could not arrest Sahjahan as there was no bar to the central agency to arrest him.
He said the ED had lodged a complaint with the Nazat police station after the central agency officials were allegedly attacked on January 5 during a raid at Shahjahan's residence in relation to the alleged ration scam in the state.
Shahjahan's arrest happened exactly 56 days after the attack and a day after Opposition leader in the state assembly Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the TMC leader was in safe custody under the state police.
Former state BJP president Dilip Ghosh alleged the arrest was made after the Calcutta high court clarified clearly that there was no bar on the state police to arrest him.
CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty alleged that it was clear that the state police knew where Shahjahan was hiding.
Meanwhile, Shahjahan was seen coming out under police escort wearing white Kurta, white trousers and white sneakers.
UNI PC ARN SSP