ED to approach Bengal court for permission to question Sheikh Shahjahan

Kolkata: Enforcement Directorate (ED) will approach the district court in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district for seeking permission to question Sheikh Shahjahan, the accused mastermind of the January 5 attack on ED and CAPF personnel in Sandeshkhali.

Shahjahan, after the completion of his custody with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, was remanded to judicial custody for 12 days by the Basirhat Sub-divisional Court.

Sources said that on Saturday the ED will move the same district court for permission to question Shahjahan at the correctional home in connection with the ration distribution case.

Subsequently, sources added, the ED officials will also approach a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata next week to get the custody of Shahjahan for more detailed and in-depth interrogation.

The ED and their accompanying CAPF personnel were attacked by Shahjahan’s associates in front of his residence in Sandeshkhali after the central agency sleuths attempted a raid and search operation in connection with the ration-distribution case.

The ED has confiscated property worth Rs 13 crore owned by Shahjahan.

On Thursday, the CBI counsel informed the district court at Basirhat that Shahjahan had arranged local anti-social elements over the phone to carry out the attack on ED and CAPF personnel.

During the hearing, the CBI counsel named two persons -- Ziauddin Molla and Didarbux Molla -- with whom Shahjahan had interacted before the attack.