Kolkata, Mar 8 (PTI) The CBI on Friday conducted searches at the residence and office of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district as part of its investigation into the attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team in the area in January, officials said.
Along with a large contingent of central forces, six CBI officers, six central forensic sciences personnel and the two ED officers who were injured in the January 5 attack went for the searches. They visited his house in Akunchipara in Sarberia and later went to his office, besides other nearby areas.
The CBI officers opened the seal placed on Sheikh’s house by the ED for entering, and videographed and mapped the area, officials said.
“Several incriminating documents and material exhibits have been seized during the searches,” the CBI said in a statement.
The CBI took custody of Sheikh on Wednesday from the West Bengal CID on the order of the Calcutta High Court.
Meanwhile, Sheikh claimed that the allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against him were fabricated.
“All allegations are baseless, almighty will do justice,” he told reporters, in his first reaction to the allegations, at the ESIC Hospital in Joka where he was taken for a health check-up.
Violent protests led by women over the allegations rocked the riverine island of Sandeshkhali, following which Sheikh was arrested.
Sheikh, who was taken into custody by the state police in the case related to the attack on the ED, was suspended by the TMC within hours of his arrest.
The ED officers were attacked by a mob when it went to search Sheikh’s house in connection with the alleged irregularities in the state’s public distribution system.
The CBI was looking into Sheikh’s mobile phone call records as part of its investigation into the attack, officials said.
TMC’s Sandeshkhali MLA Sukumar Mahata told a TV channel that on getting to know about the attack he had called up Sheikh asking for his assistance to control the mob but “he had said that he was not in the area”. PTI CORR BSM PNT SOM
