Investigation agency raids the premises of missing Trinamool leader

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Kolkata:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided the residences of businessmen allegedly linked to missing Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Shaikh in an old case of fraudulent land grab, a senior official said.

He said the raid and search operation was launched by the ED on Friday morning at five different places in and around the city, including Howrah, Bijaygarh and Birati.

“The raid is in connection with an old case of fraudulent land grab against Shajahan Shaikh and his associates. These people were involved in fish business with Shajahan. We are looking for some specific documents,” the officer said.

ECIR is generally filed by the ED in the form of Case Information Report. He said it is similar to First Information Report (FIR) in criminal cases.

The official said that ED officials along with a large number of central forces started searches at the residence of a fish trader named Parthapratim Sengupta in Halderpara, Howrah.

Raids are underway at four places, including the house of local businessman Arun Sengupta in Birati in North 24 Parganas district and the residence of Arun Shome in the southern part of Bijoygarh area of ​​the city.

“These traders are also involved in export and import business with Shazhan. We are talking to them to find out the nature of their business and how Shazhan was involved in it,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, the central probe agency on Friday issued fresh summons to Shazhan in connection with his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration scam and asked him to appear before its officers on February 29, an official said.

This is the fourth summons issued by the ED to Shahjahan, who has skipped all three previous summonses.

On January 5, a team of ED officials was attacked by a mob when they tried to enter Shajahan’s residence in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

Three ED officers were injured in the attack. The district police and Sheikh’s family members had filed a complaint against ED officials.

Shajahan is absconding since then.

Sandeshkhali is in national news after local women accused Shajahan and his men, involved in the fish business, of gang rape and forceful land grab.

Police have so far arrested 18 people, including two TMC leaders and a close aide of Shajahan.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)