TMC welcomes HC order on formation of joint SIT in Sandeshkhali case

Kolkata, Jan 17 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday said they were satisfied with Calcutta High Court's directive to form a joint special investigation team (SIT) comprising the CBI and West Bengal police to investigate the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali.
    The HC ordered the formation of a joint SIT of CBI and West Bengal police to probe the attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali when they went to search the premises of Trinamool leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5.
    TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "We welcome the court order. The Calcutta High Court has ordered the formation of a joint team of central agency (CBI) and state police to probe the attack on ED officials at Sandeshkhali. From the very first day, we had a very clear stand that the central agency should take state police into the loop before conducting any investigation or raids."
    Ghosh continued, "The BJP leaders have been demanding to hand over the case to the CBI claiming that the state police are unable to perform its duties. But the Calcutta High Court's decision has rejected their stand and has reflected our stand."
    The ED officials had gone to search the premises of TMC leader Sahajahan Sheikh, including his residence and office, at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district in connection with their probe into the money trail in a ration distribution scam case in West Bengal, when the central agency's officials and accompanying CRPF personnel were attacked by a mob.
    In response to TMC's remarks, the opposition BJP argued that the court order did not offer cause for celebration for the ruling party.
    "The fact is that police have failed to nab him even after 12 days of the incident. The formation of the joint SIT is proof that police have miserably failed," said BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)