India: ED issues lookout notice against TMC’s Shahjahan Sheikh after agency officials attacked by mob
Mob attacks ED officials in West Bengal
India’s economic intelligence agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly issued a lookout notice for Shahjahan Sheikh, a leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party after the agency’s officials were attacked by a mob for the second time in a row within a span of a few hours in the state of West Bengal.
The team of officials from the central agency were attacked by a mob in the Sandeshkhali village of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district when they were carrying out raids on Sheikh’s home for his alleged involvement in a million dollar ration distribution scam in the state.
Why was a lookout notice issued?
During the raids conducted by the ED late on Friday (Jan 5), the agency focussed its attention on former Bongaon Municipality Chairman and TMCleader Shankar Adhya who was arrested following an extensive search.
The ED reported that a sizeable mob, numbering between 800 and 1000 individuals, launched a violent attack on their officials with the apparent intent to cause harm.
The case for which the raids were conducted pertainsto alleged corruption in ration distribution during the COVID-19 lockdown. Sheikh was being investigated due to his reported close links to the state food minister Jyoti Priya Mallick.
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The ED issued a lookout notice for Sheikh and his four brothers on Saturday (Jan 6) afterreportedly sayingthat the TMC official tried to cross over to Bangladesh but failed assecurity along the international border has been heightened due to theelections in the country.
In a statement, the central agency said that their officials who were accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, were “badly attacked by crowds” who they said were suspected to be instigated by “Sheikh and his associates.”
At least three officers were hospitalised after they suffered what the ED has described as “grievous injuries” as the mob marched towards the officials “with an intention to cause death”.
The mob, according to the ED, also snatched official and personal belongings including laptops, wallets and cash. The police said no arrests were made as of Saturday evening but a few people have been detained for questioning.
In the statement, the central agency said that when they arrived at Sheikh’s house on Friday, the door was locked from the inside and the TMC leader refused to open it. “His mobile location at that time indicated that he was inside this house.”
Around half an hour later, the ED officials weretaken by surprise after the mob charged them with weapons like lathis, stones, bricks, etc., and gheraoed them.
FIRs against the ED officials
The police said that they have registered three FIRs, including one against ED officials.
One FIR was registered against the central agency’s officials based on a complaint lodged by the caretaker of Sheikh’s house who alleged that the agency officials tried to enter the house without proper documents, according to media reports citing officials.
The second one was filed based on the complaint by ED under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) involving rioting and assault on public servants. The third one was suo motu registered by the police against unknown persons for attacking officers of the central agency.
(With inputs from agencies)