n The Calcutta High on Thursday ordered an interim stay on the proceedings in an FIR registered by the Bengal Police against Enforcement Directorate officials who had last Friday gone to raid the house of Shahjehan Sheikh a Trinamool Congress leader and strongman --- in connection with his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration scam and money-laundering there of — but returned with a bloody nose when they were attacked by hundreds of TMC goons.
The Court of Justice Rajashekhar Mantha stopped the police from proceeding on the FIR and asked them to file an affidavit in that regard besides producing the case diary.
In a parallel order another Court of Justice Joy Sengupta verbally directed the administration that no coercive action could be taken till the coming Monday against the ED officials.
Earlier the ED officials — who had on last Friday gone to the residence of Shahjehan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas to conduct searches in his house — were attacked and badly beaten up by several hundred supporters of the TMC leader who is still at large.
To add insult to injury in mysterious turn of events FIRs were lodged against the ED officials by the police who relied on complaints of some locals. In the FIRs the ED officials were charged with theft of Rs 1.35 lakh rupees and some documents subsequent to which the ED moved the High Court to get the police proceedings stayed.
Expressing dismay at the conduct of the police the Court on Thursday asked the Police as to what made them register an FIR without conducting any preliminary investigation into the matter before ordering an interim stay.