New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday registered its first case against five “influential persons” and “strongmen” for allegedly grabbing land and sexually harassing women in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali.
According to a source in the agency, the first information report (FIR) was based on the complaint of a woman, sent to the agency by email earlier this month.
The CBI refused to comment when asked if ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan had been mentioned in the document. “The FIR named powerful people. At this stage, we will not disclose more,” a CBI officer said. The source, however, said the ones named were “accomplices of Sheikh Shahjahan”.
“The case has been registered based on the directions of the Calcutta High Court. The individuals named in the FIR are accused of grabbing land, and sexually and physically abusing women in the area. A team has been sent to the area to probe the matter,” the source said.
Earlier this month, the agency had received over 50 complaints from women in Sandeshkhali on a dedicated email ID created for grievances. According to the CBI, the portal where women could directly write to the agency was made on the orders of the Calcutta High Court earlier this month.
“The CBI created a dedicated email ID ‘sandeshkhali@cbi.gov.in’ to receive the complaints of the people of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas regarding crime against women and the forcible grabbing of land. The district magistrate was also requested to give adequate publicity of the said email ID in the locality and also issue a public notice in vernacular dailies with wide circulation in the areas, as per the court’s order,” a senior CBI officer said.
This was done to ensure that women, who may otherwise have felt unsafe or intimidated to take on powerful men in the area, could confidentially file complaints with the CBI. Many women have accused the local police of being biased towards local leaders. Several complaints poured in as soon the email ID became functional, the source said.
On 10 April, the HC ordered a court-monitored CBI probe into alleged incidents of sexual assault and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
“Considering the overall scenario and complexities of the facts involved, we have no doubt in our mind that an impartial enquiry is required to be done by an agency which has power to probe the criminal angle stated to be involved…The state has to provide the required support to the said agency to be appointed by us to enquire into the matter,” the court said.
This order was passed after the court heard petitions filed by women from Sandeshkhali, who alleged sexual assault by local TMC leaders close to Sheikh Shahjahan.
Shahjahan was arrested on 29 February after being on the run for nearly two months. Soon after his arrest, a battle kicked off for custody between the local police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Within hours, the ED moved the HC and urged an immediate hearing to transfer the case to the CBI. On 6 March, the HC told the state government to immediately hand over Shahjahan.
Atrocities in Sandeshkhali came to the fore when an ED team was attacked on 5 January while on its way to raid Shahjahan’s home in connection with a probe into the state’s ration scam. The strongman’s supporters allegedly injured three officials, while facilitating his escape that day.
On 8 February, protests broke out with villagers demanding the arrest of Shahjahan and his associates. The protesters, mostly women, accused him and two of his aides of land-grab and sexual assault. Clashes also broke out between Trinamool and BJP supporters.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of bringing people from outside to “instigate violence” and fabricate an “adivasi versus minorities fight”.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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