'Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali in safe custody of Mamata Police': Suvendu Adhikari on Shahjahan's arrest

Hours after TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on Thursday, West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday claimed that the TMC strongman is in the “safe custody of Mamata Police” as part of a “deal”.

On the run for 55 days, Shajahan Sheikh, accused of alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, was arrested from a house in Minakhan, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans, in North 24 Parganas district. He was later remanded in 10-day police custody.

Taking to X, Adhikari alleged that Shahjahan was taken away from the Bermajurr-II Gram Panchayat area after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators.

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The Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali - Seikh Shahjahan is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajur - II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would…

— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) February 28, 2024

“The Scoundrel of Sandeshkhali, Seikh Shahjahan, is in the safe custody of Mamata Police since 12 am last night. He was taken away from the Bermajurr-II Gram Panchayat area, after he managed to negotiate a deal with the Mamata Police, through influential mediators, that he would be taken care of properly while in police and judicial custody,” Suvendu Adhikari said in his post.

“He will be extended 5-star facilities during his time behind bars and will have access to a mobile phone, through which he will be able to lead the Tolamool Party virtually,” he said. “Even a bed in the Woodburn Ward will be kept ready and vacant for him if he chooses to spend some time there,” Adhikari added.

Later, speaking to ANI news agency, Adhikari said Shahjahan’s arrest was not an arrest but a mutual adjustment.

#WATCH | Minakhan, North 24 Parganas | On the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari says, "...This is not arrest, this is a mutual adjustment. Unless the central agencies take him into their custody, the people there won't get justice...He will… pic.twitter.com/J0eu5L2jm9

— ANI (@ANI) February 29, 2024

“Unless the central agencies take him into their custody, the people there won’t get justice…He will get 5-star facilities in jail. He will use mobile phone inside and control the area from there…,” he added.

Meanwhile, as the news of Shahjahan’s arrest spread, locals in trouble-torn Sandeshkhali celebrated his arrest and distributed sweets.

The locals, who for the last few days have been protesting in the riverine Sandeshkhali area, came out on the streets as they distributed sweets and danced in joy.

“We are very happy that he has been arrested at last. We just hope he should be put behind bars and never return to this area. He has destroyed lives of many people area,” PTI quoted a local as saying.

Echoing similar sentiments, a woman said, “We hope that his other associates are also put behind bars”.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area - situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata - has been on the boil for more than a month with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.

With inputs from agencies