New Delhi. Accused TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, who was absconding for several days amid allegations of ration scam and Sandeshkhali case, has finally been caught by the Bengal Police. Shaikh, who evaded authorities for 55 days, is accused of sexual harassment against women in Sandeshkhali area. Apart from the ration distribution scam, Shahjahan Sheikh is also accused of land grabbing, which is worth a staggering ₹10,000 crore. He arrived in West Bengal from Bangladesh and initially worked as a labourer. However, he soon accumulated a lot of wealth and became notorious in Sandeshkhali. When the ED team went to arrest him in connection with the scam, they were attacked by Sheikh’s supporters, resulting in serious injuries to several officers.
Shaikh is considered close to former minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, who was also arrested in the ration scam. After Mullik’s arrest, Sheikh came under the target of ED. Coming from Bangladesh, Sheikh started working as a laborer in West Bengal and gradually established an empire of terror. Sandeshkhali, located near the Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas district, became their stronghold. Initially working in the fields and brick kilns, Shaikh organized the workers and formed a union. He then entered politics and gained entry into the ruling party with the support of Malik.
With the wave of political change in Bengal, Sheikh began to distance himself from the ruling party. He joined TMC in 2013 after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress came to power in 2011. According to the affidavit filed in the Election Commission, Shaikh has assets worth lakhs, including 17 vehicles, gold jewelery worth ₹2.5 crore and Over 14 acres of land is involved, with a total value of around ₹4 crore. Additionally, the affidavit reveals that he has deposits worth ₹1.92 crore in banks.