Surprising that Sandeshkhali's main accused Shajahan Sheikh not arrested yet: Cal HC
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed surprise that Shajahan Sheikh, the main accused and «core» of the Sandeshkhali issue, has not been arrested by the state police so far, and said it does not know «whether he is being protected». The division bench, headed by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, also refused to interfere with a single bench order on Monday that allowed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and another party MLA Shankar Ghosh to visit the Sandeshkhali village.
Adhikari was earlier in the day stopped by police, citing prohibitory orders in the area.
«If one person can hold the entire population to ransom, then that person should not be encouraged by the ruling dispensation,» the court observed.
The observation was made during the hearing of an appeal by the state government challenging a single bench order, which had also stayed until further orders for the imposition of Section 144 in some areas of Sandeshkhali by the administration.
The riverine Sandeshkhali area, situated about 100 kilometres from Kolkata on the borders of the Sunderbans, has been witnessing protests over allegations of sexual atrocities and land grab by some ruling Trinamool Congress leaders.
«It is rather surprising that the person who is said to be the core for the problem being precipitated cannot be apprehended still and is on the run, defying law,» the division bench said.
Stating that it does not know «whether he is being protected» or not, the court said that the fact remains that he has not been secured.
«It could
