On Friday, the officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attacked by the mob on its way to raid Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh’s residence in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, for having connection with the Public Distribution System Scam (PDS).
Besides, three ED officials were injured when the mobs attacked them. And the agency is looking forward to taking strict action against this incident.
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Attack on ED officials
Earlier on Friday morning, 800 members of the mob attacked the ED team when the agency officials went to raid the residence of a TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh at Sandeshkhali around 80 km away from the Indo-Bangladesh border.
The ED official said, “Three ED officers were injured when they were attacked at Sandeshkhali during a raid and had to be rushed to hospital on Friday. The mob snatched official and personal belongings including laptops, wallets and cash”. After the attack, the ED mailed the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Barishat district to look after the people involved in the attack.
The agency claims that Sheikh was present in his house during the raid and instigated the mob attack. He was also suspected of fleeing to Bangladesh, however, he failed to cross the border because of the ongoing Bangladesh election, for which the border’s security was tightened. The “lookout notice” was issued to restrict Sheikh from leaving India without providing valid immigration information to authorities. Besides all this, three FIRs were lodged in the police station which is somehow relevant to this incident.
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The FIRs lodged in Police Station
According to the police sources, one of the FIRs was filed on the complaint filed by the caretaker of Sheikh’s house. The second FIR was lodged on the complaint by the ED, and the third FIR was Suo Moto registered by the police against the unknown person for attacking officers of the central agency.
The FIR filed by the caretaker of Sheik’s house was lodged under Sections 441 (Criminal Trepas), 166-167 (Misuse of Authority), and 427 (Damage to Property) of IPC. Moreover, the FIR filed by the ED was lodged under Sections 332 (Assault on Public Servants), 186 (Obstruction of Public Servants in the discharge of duty), 146-151 (Rioting) of the Indian Penal Code. And the last one was filed with similar sections as the ED’s FIR.
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Possible Outcomes
The lookout notice makes it easier for the ED officials to arrest Sheikh. He may face charges related to mob attacks and involvement in the PDS scam. Furthermore, the incident might create political tension between TMC and BJP in West Bengal, also the attack on ED officials and the ongoing investigations on the scam could damage the trust in the state government and probe agency. So, a fair investigation will be crucial to address these concerns.
About PDS Scam
The Public Distributing System (PDS) scam in West Bengal is undergoing investigation for the alleged corruption and illegal diversion of subsidised food grains meal for the poor. Ultimately, the scam has raised concerns about food security and corruption in West Bengal, and the investigation could bring legal and political consequences, potentially impacting upcoming elections.
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