Bengal: CBI recovers arms, ammunition from Sandeshkhali house, NSG commandos deployed

Sandeshkhali case: Raids were conducted in Sandeshkhali in connection with an attack on an ED team by a mob.

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday recovered arms, including foreign-made pistols, and ammunition, from a house during its searches at multiple locations in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali in connection with an attack on an Enforcement Directorate team by a mob allegedly instigated by local Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan. The raids are still ongoing, with a CBI team digging the soil inside the house.

A team of the National Security Guard commandos has deployed in the area.

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The West Bengal government, however, moved the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta high court decision directing a CBI probe in connection with the allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. The matter will be heard on April 29 by the Supreme Court's bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.

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On the orders of the Calcutta high court, the CBI had registered three FIRs related to the incidents on January 5. The high court had intervened, instructing the CBI to take over the investigation into several alleged offences in the Sandeshkhali region. These offences reportedly include illegal land acquisitions and instances of violence and sexual assault against women.

The team of ED was attacked in Sandeshkhali - a riverine delta bordering the Sundarbans - on January 5 when it had gone to raid the premises of Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with an alleged ration scam.

The CBI, during its probe, got inputs of a large cache of arms hidden in Sandeshkhali, news agency PTI. On Friday morning, a CBI team started a search operation during which the arms, including foreign-made pistols, were seized, officials told PTI.

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The CBI's move comes amid growing concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Sandeshkhali, with allegations of rampant criminal activities and exploitation of vulnerable populations.

Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack. After the attack by a mob of around 1,000 people in which three ED officials were injured, a deputy director of the agency had given a complaint to the superintendent of police, Basirhat.

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