Sandeshkhali: ED raids residences of Shajahan Sheikh's aides, relatives

The Enforcement Directorate ED on Thursday conducted raids at the residences of close aides and relatives of arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, seizing several documents and diaries in connection with a land-grabbing case, an officer said.Searches were carried out at the houses of three local businessmen and close associates of Sheikh in Dhamakhali, North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, continuing for at least seven hours.Additionally, the houses of Sheikhs relatives in Rampur, also in North 24 Parganas district, were also raided.These three businessmen and few other people, mostly relatives of Sheikh, are into shrimp culture and trading.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids at the residences of close aides and relatives of arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, seizing several documents and diaries in connection with a land-grabbing case, an officer said.

Searches were carried out at the houses of three local businessmen and close associates of Sheikh in Dhamakhali, North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, continuing for at least seven hours.

Additionally, the houses of Sheikh's relatives in Rampur, also in North 24 Parganas district, were also raided.

''These three businessmen and few other people, mostly relatives of Sheikh, are into shrimp culture and trading. In the veil of the trade, they have been helping Sheikh in siphoning off huge amounts of money abroad. It seems that Sheikh had injected the money which he got from the multi-crore ration distribution scam into the shrimp trade. We are probing into that,'' the ED officer told PTI.

The central probe agency alleged that Sheikh utilised his relatives and friends, mainly involved in shrimp farming, to funnel money overseas.

Land-related documents and diaries were seized from these businessmen, with the entire trading reportedly conducted under Sheikh's supervision, the officer said.

The ED is also in the process of seizing cars owned by Sheikh, who is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Meanwhile, Sheikh's brother, Sheikh Alamgir, did not appear before CBI officers on Thursday, despite being summoned for questioning in connection with the attacks on ED officers during a raid on Sheikh's residence on January 5.

The CBI has taken over the investigation into three cases related to incidents on January 5, when ED officials were attacked by a large mob during a search of Sheikh's premises in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district, in connection with the scam.

Sheikh, suspended by the TMC, was arrested by the state police on February 29. He and his associates are accused of land-grabbing and sexual harassment in Sandeshkhali.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)