West Bengal police on Thursday said that Trinamool Congress (TMC)  leader Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest was in connection with an assault on officers of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) during a raid in January this year.

“Sheikh Shahjahan, one of the principal accused in a case which happened on January 5, 2024, where ED officers were assaulted during the course of a raid they were conducting,” South Bengal ADG Supratim Sarkar said, adding, “In this case the complaint did not pertain to 354.”

On sexual assault complaints, Sarkar said that there were many cases and most of them happened around two years back so investigation will take time. “Many cases after February 7,8,9, those came up then, pertain to incidents that happened 2,3 years back. So investigating them, gathering evidence takes time,” the ADG said.

He further said that Shahjahan will be produced in Basirhat court today. “We arrested him yesterday night from Minakha Police area. We have forwarded Sheikh Shahjahan to Basirhat court. We will ask for police remand,” Sarkar said.

Shahjahan had been evading arrest by both state and central agencies for over a month. His arrest comes three days after the Calcutta High Court
Chief Justice ordered to add Shahjahan’s name to the Sandeshkhali case.