Sheikh Shahjahan: The man at the centre of Sandeshkhali row

The island of Sandeshkhali in the Sundarbans of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district wasn’t a well-known place. Until now. For the past week or so, it has been on edge over allegations of harassment and exploitation by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. The issue has also emerged as a major flashpoint between the TMC and the Opposition, namely the BJP.

Amid the allegations and counter-allegations, there is one man who stands at the centre of it all — Sheikh Shahjahan, who is currently absconding from the authorities.

But who is Sheikh Shahjahan? What power does he wield in Sandeshkhali? And how has he found himself at the centre of this controversy? We get you all the answers.

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The rise of Sheikh Shahjahan

Shahjahan is a TMC leader, wielding great power and influence in Sandeshkhali . He is presently the TMC president of Sandeshkhali unit and for many, he holds more power and popularity than the MLA or MP of the area.

But it wasn’t always like this. Shahjahan, also known as Bhai, has had an incredible journey. He started off in 1999 as a trekker driver, who doubled as a conductor at times, and also worked as a vegetable vendor at the local market.

Not much is known of his family or his education. Even his nomination papers for the panchayat polls reveal a vacant slot in the column for education qualifications. It was thanks to his uncle, Moslem Sheikh, a local Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader, that Shahjahan got a break in politics. Sheikh gave Shahjahan his first breakthrough, and the ambitious nephew started looking after the local fish trade.

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A TMC leader was quoted as telling Times of India, “Shahjahan quit his driver’s job. He turned into a goon, controlling local bheris and dealing in vested land. Soon, he grew into a prominent figure in North 24 Parganas. He, along with his uncle, had such a strong hold on the area that even when Left lost back-to-back elections from 2009, they continued to remain in office in his part of North 24 Parganas.”

He also began attaining popularity in the area, as he set out to carve his own identity. With the money he was able to make, he helped out locals during their time of need. Be it a wedding or helping parents pay for their children’s education, Shahjahan became the go-to man. In fact, he also employed hundreds of young men in his syndicate, buying them mobiles and motorcycles.

In 2013, he switched sides and joined the TMC, and aligned himself with the now-arrested Jyotipriya Mullick.

In 2018, Sheikh became famous as the deputy head of the Sarberia Agarhati gram panchayat. His younger brothers are also active TMC workers and manage his businesses. Today, he is often approached by locals to resolve conflicts, family disputes as well as land disagreements.

A local TMC leader, quoted by news agency PTI, said that Shahjahan holds respect and fear in the area. “To some, he is a messiah; to his detractors, he is a terror. He carries a Robin Hood image in the area.”

Wealth and crimes of Sheikh Shahjahan

As the years passed by, Shahjahan has accumulated wealth of untold proportions. As per an NDTV report, he has three palatial houses. In fact, his nomination papers for panchayat polls show that he owns 17 cars, 43 bighas of land and jewellery worth Rs 2 crore and an annual income of nearly Rs 20 lakh.

However, locals have said that his land ownings are much more than what he claims in his documents. Moreover, some even allege, as per an NDTV report, that his aides collect a cut from every fish trader in the area.

But Shahjahan’s rise to the top also seen him embroiled in criminal cases. The police have registered several cases against him — from extortion to assault to even murder. Some reports have also stated that he runs an illegal cross-border trade. In 2020, he was accused of double murder of two BJP leaders.

Several residents have also complained of him and his aides of land grabbing. Moreover, he forced villagers to give up their wages and welfare payments.

But despite the many criminal cases against him, he has played an important role in curbing child trafficking, earning recognition for his efforts in making Sarberia Agarhati gram panchayat a ‘Child-Friendly Gram Panchayat’ in 2019.

The current row

The current controversy in Sandeshkhali began last month when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached his residence in connection with the probe into the alleged ration scam.

Realising he’s in hiding, villagers, including women, of Sandeshkhali have found courage to speak out against the many crimes of Shahjahan and his aides — Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The ensuing stir has caught the attention of the country. Governor CV Ananda Bose and National Commission for Women members have visited the area.

However, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has pointed fingers at the BJP, claiming that the turmoil was the result of the BJP.

The police have so far arrested 18 people including local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar in connection with the incidents of violence at Sandeshkhali. They have also added sections of gangrape and attempted murder against three of the prime accused, one of whom is still absconding.

Banerjee also said that she would be sending her officers to Sandeshkhali who would talk to the locals there to find out if the complaints were genuine.

With inputs from agencies