ED files chargesheet against Sheikh Shahjahan
Kolkata, May 27 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday filed a chargesheet against former Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan who has been described as the mastermind in the incident of attack on an ED team and CAPF personnel outside his residence in West Bengal earlier this year.
The ED and the CAPF personnel came under attack when the probe agency officials went to Shahjahan’s residence at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district to conduct a raid.
In the chargesheet filed at a Special PMLA in Kolkata, the ED has accused Shahjahan of collecting Rs 261 crore through illegal land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.
On Monday, an ED counsel informed the court that so far the central agency officials have identified 180 bighas (59.5 acres) of land which was illegally grabbed by Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali.
Besides Shahjahan, his brother Sheikh Alamgir and his close associates Didar Bux Molla and Siboprasad Hazra have been named as accused in the chargesheet.
The ED has so far confiscated assets and property worth Rs 27 crore owned by Shahajahan.
It has been learnt that the ED has provided details of the assets and property attached by its officials in the chargesheet filed on Monday.
Sources aware of the development said that the chargesheet filed on Monday has been drafted in such a manner that it has become almost impossible for Shahjahan to get bail in the matter.
–IANS
src/pgh
