The Calcutta High Court today directed the West Bengal government to cooperate with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Sandeshkhali violence case. The CBI is investigating the allegations of mass sexual assault of women and grabbing of tribal lands in Sandeshkhali by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his men.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya noted the submission of the nodal agency that while verifying more than 900 complaints it received regarding the grabbing of tribal lands, the West Bengal government has not been cooperating with the central agency. Subsequently, Chief Justice Sivagnanam directed the state to extend the fullest cooperation to the CBI.
The matter involves allegations that lands of residents in the village were forcefully grabbed by Sheikh, who was suspended by the TMC earlier this year. Former Trinamool leader Sheikh and his aides were also accused of sexually assaulting women in the village. He was also eventually arrested by the West Bengal Police after being on the run for around 55 days.
In a judgment passed on April 10, the Calcutta High Court had transferred the investigation in the case to the CBI. During the hearing, BJP leader and Advocate Priyanak Tibrewal told the Court that she had received phone calls from the victims of the alleged sexual assault. She further claimed that the women were threatened against filing cases against Sheikh or his men.
In addition, a petitioner in the case, urged the Bench to form either an all-women committee or ask the CBI to send only women officers to record the statements of the victims, as was done in the Manipur violence case.
Nonetheless, the Bench left it to the wisdom of the CBI officials, to evolve a mechanism to build confidence among the victims so that they can come forward and lodge their complaints. The matter is scheduled for further consideration on June 14.