Sheikh Shahjahan starts cooperating with investigating officers: Sources

Kolkata: Sheikh Shahjahan, the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF teams at Sandeshkhali West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on January 5, finally started cooperating with the investigating officers on Saturday.

A local Trinamool strongman in Sandeshkhali, Shahjahan was arrested from Minakhah in North 24 Paraganas district on Wednesday night after being on the run for 55 days. And soon after a district court remanded him to 10-day police custody on Thursday, Trinamool suspended Shahjahan from the party for six years.

Sources in the state police said that while Shahjahan was quite aggressive and non-cooperation till Friday evening, he started answering the queries put forth by the interrogating officers from Saturday morning.

On Friday night, Shahjahan reportedly showed reluctance to have dinner and subsequently spent a virtually sleepless night, sources said.

The sources added that the prime focus of the investigating officers is to get a clear idea about Shahjahan's whereabouts during the 55 days he was absconding after the day of the attack on ED and CAPF teams on January 5.

Sources said that from the statements given by Shahjhan’s close associate Amit Ali, the CID has got some information about the number of times Shahjahan changed his hideout during the period he was absconding.

Now, the investigating officers are trying to corroborate Ali's statements by interrogating Shahjahan.

Political observers feel that Shahjahan was initially reluctant to cooperate in the probe thinking that his party Trinamool Congress will come to his rescue. However, the situation has now changed with the ruling party leaders distancing themselves from the accused mastermind of the Sandeshkhali attack on agency staff.