CBI team revisits Sandeshkhali to gather more evidence in ED attack case

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team, probing into an attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at West Bengal's Sandeshkhali on January 5, on Sunday visited a village in the area to gather more evidence.

This is the second visit of the CBI to Sarberia village in North 24 Parganas district after getting the custody of suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the main accused in the attack, on March 6.

Its officials had gone to the house of Sheikh the next day and, after finding it locked, clicked its photos and talked to the local people.

This time, the CBI team took two of the arrested persons along with them to reconstruct the incident and collect further evidence, officials said.

The team members spoke with shopkeepers in the Shahjahan market area and other locals.

Sources said that the central force officials who were present during the January 5 attack also accompanied the CBI team to support corroborating facts.

Sheikh, along with his followers Shiba Prasad Hajra, Uttam Sardar and others, was also accused of sexual abuse and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.

After being on the run for 55 days, Sheikh was nabbed on February 29 from a house in Minakhan area, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali on the outskirts of Sunderbans.

The ED officials were attacked on January 5 by a mob while they attempted to raid the residence of Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam.

The Calcutta High Court on March 5 ordered transfer of the probe into the attack from the West Bengal Police to the CBI.