Sandeshkhali: TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh evades third ED notice

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, 9 February, issued a third notice for interrogation to absconding Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh, the accused mastermind of 5 January attack on ED and CAPF personnel at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district.

This the third notice issued by the central agency to the absconding Trinamool Congress leader.

Earlier, he ducked two similar summons from ED and avoided coming to the agency’s Salt Lake office in the northern outskirts of Kolkata -- first on 29 January and then on 5 February.

On 5 February, although Shahjahan did not turn up for questioning, on the same evening his counsel reached the ED office to handover a letter to the central agency official where more time had been sought by his client for appearance. However, the ED sleuths refused to accept that letter officially.

Already 35 days have passed since the attack on the ED and CAPF personnel took place and Shahjahan has managed to remain absconding. In the meantime, he had approached two different courts in the state seeking anticipatory bail.

Meanwhile, ED has already issued a lookout notice against Shahjahan in anticipation that he might escape to neighbouring Bangladesh, whose international border with India is very close to his residence in Sandeshkhali.