The alleged “tiger” of Sandeshkhali Sheikh Shahjahan — reported mastermind of attack on the Enforcement Directorate officials, land grab and sexual assault on women — have started to buckle down under pressure.
According to sources the Trinamool Congress strongman who is presently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation has identified a number of his accomplices who had carried out the January 5 assault on a team of ED officials that had gone to conduct search operations in his house but returned injured after being beaten up by hundreds of Shahajhan’s followers.
The ED had raided his house in connection to the `10,000 crore ration scam.
As tears welled up his eyes during interrogation the “don” shared the minute details of his cronies with his interrogators allowing the CBI officials to conduct a series of raids at their houses throughout the Sandeshkhali block, sources said.
After conducting search operations in his house at Akunji Para in Sandeshkhali the CBI officials also raided the houses of Duronto Molla, Safikur Rehman and Abu Hasan Molla in Dugri Para region, sources said. The accused however could not be found.
“He has said that about 700-800 people had come on the day of attack,” said CBI sources, adding however Shahjahan has denied having incited his supporters to attack the ED officials. “He has softened up but is still not accepting his guilt and is required to be questioned further,” sources said.
Following intense political pressure and nudging by the High Court, the State police last week arrested Shahjahan who remained at large for about 55 days. This, also after hundreds of local women hit the national headlines when they came out in the open alleging large-scale land grab and sexual assault by Shahjahan’s men.
Meanwhile, the ED on Friday conducted searches at multiple locations in Kolkata and its neighbouring areas in connection with its probe into the teacher recruitment scam.
Searches were conducted at Patharghata Mazar Sharif area in New Town, Nagerbazar, Rajarhat, sources said.