The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with a petition filed by the West Bengal government that challenged the Calcutta High Court's order directing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the attack on an Enforcement Directorate Team in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali in January.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, however, agreed to expunge remarks made against the West Bengal Police and state government in connection with the High Court's order.
On March 5, the Calcutta High Court ordered the West Bengal government to hand over suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI in connection with the attack on Enforcement Directorate officers in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. The attack happened when the officers went to raid Sheikh Shahjahan's house in connection with the alleged multi-crore ration distribution scam.
A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya agreed that the state police "underplayed the entire situation" as Sheikh Shahjahan was absconding for over 50 days before being arrested on February 29.
Following this, the West Bengal government had filed a plea challenging the High Court's order on a CBI probe into the Enforcement Directorate officials' attack in Sandeshkhali, located on the fringes of the Sunderbans.
Several members of the Enforcement Directorate were injured after their team was attacked by a 1000-strong mob in Sandeshkhali on January 5. Shahjahan Sheikh, whose role in the attack is also under probe, is under the custody of the CBI till March 14, officials said.
Shahjahan Sheikh, accused by several women in Sandeshkhali of land grab and sexual assault, was arrested by the state police on February 29, a day after the high court ordered that the CBI, Enforcement Directorate or the West Bengal Police could arrest him.
