CALCUTTA HIGH COURT DIRECTED CBI TO UNDERTAKE COURT-MONITORED PROBE INTO ALLEGATIONS OF RAPE AND LAND GRABBING LOCALS IN SANDESHKHALI

The Calcutta High Court in the case In Re: T Court on its own motion v The State of West Bengal observed and has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI to undertake a probe into the allegations of rape of women and land grabbing of locals by miscreants under the influence of local leader Shahjahan Sheikh.

The court in the case observed and has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI to submit a report on the same for a court-monitored probe into the allegations.

The Division bench comprising of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya in the case observed and has transferred the probe into the attack on ED officials by Shahjahan's men in Sandeshkhali to the CBI.

In the present case, the court was considering various Public Interest Litigation, PILS for an independent probe into the allegations of rape and land grabbing which came to light after the attack on the ED convoy made national headlines.

The bench in the case observed and has reserved its orders on the issue on an earlier date.

However, the bench headed by Chief Justice had orally remarked that even if 1% of the allegations were true, then the State should owe moral responsibility.

The court while considering the submission made by the counsel appearing for Sheikh's that since his custody had been transferred to the CBI, he could approach the relevant authorities in a lawful manner, but that the accused had no right to be heard in the present proceedings.