More than three months after the small island of Sandeshkhali hit the headlines after an Enforcement Directorate team was assaulted by villagers and the local womenfolk accused Trinamool Congress leaders of sexual harassment and land grab, the Calcutta High Court took cognisance of the allegations and ordered a “comprehensive investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation”.
A division bench, presided over by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, ordered the CBI to submit a comprehensive report regarding the alleged illegal forcible conversion of agricultural land into water bodies for pisciculture after conducting a thorough inspection of revenue records and physical inspection of land alleged to have been converted.
The court directed that the report would have to be submitted by May 2 and directed the State Government and the State police to render all help to the CBI. It directed the State Government to install closed circuit television (CCTV) and LED lights in all “sensitive areas of Sandeshkhali”. It ordered that the State police would have to take the responsibility of providing security to witnesses and victims.”
The court had earlier expressed deep concern over the contents of affidavits presented before it during a hearing on a PIL seeking an independent investigation into the Sandeshkhali sexual harassment allegations.
It warned that Bengal’s claim of being the “safest State for women” would lose credibility if “even if one of the allegations in the affidavits were proven to be true.”
BJP leader and petitioner-lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal had submitted a voluminous compilation before the court which she said contained around 100 affidavits of alleged victims of sexual assault, apart from those of land grabbing and violence. Tibrewal had prayed for transfer of investigation to the CBI.
“I had gone to Sandeshkhali on three weekends along with other lawyers and notaries to record the affidavits of the women,” Tibrewal claimed, adding that the High Court today had accepted her submissions.
“So many people came. They said nothing happened. I am putting the affidavit on record. I am not mentioning their names or they will be under threat. There was a lady who went to visit her father whose land was grabbed. She was taken in daylight and raped (by people), including (Sheikh) Shahjahan and other workers. This is not just land grabbing but deep issues, including Government land officials. The land records were changed and (they were) asked to file a civil suit. How will these people file a civil suit? If they resist, they are tortured and raped. Even police are involved,” she had told the court.
“We are happy that such an investigation has been ordered. Now, we can expect to get justice for the sufferings that we have undergone at the hands of Sheikh Shahjahan and his gangs,” said Rekha Patra, the first woman to protest the torture who is now the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Basirhat.
Petitioner Alakh Alok Srivastava said: “Today,the Calcutta High Court has allowed our PIL seeking CBI enquiry into Sandeshkhali sexual assault cases. My other prayers like HC-monitoring, victim protection etc., were also allowed. For the past two months, we had tirelessly fought for justice from the Supreme Court to the High Court. We are happy that our Matri Shakti will finally get justice now.”
The CBI was already investigating the January 5 assault by supporters of Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials. The officials were attacked when they were conducting a raid at his residence in Sandeshkhali-I as part of an ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in the State’s public distribution system.
On February 5, local women in the village demanded the arrest of Sheikh and his associates, accusing them of sexual abuse and harassment. Villagers also alleged Sheikh’s involvement in forcibly acquiring their lands.
After evading authorities for 55 days, Sheikh was arrested by the State police on February 29, leading to his suspension from the Trinamool Congress. Subsequently, he was handed over to the CBI as per court orders.
On April 4, the Calcutta High Court slammed the West Bengal Government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over allegations of extortion, land grab, and sexual assault arising from Sandeshkhali.
Allegations were also made that the West Bengal Government had attempted to shield Shahjahan Sheikh, a locally influential party leader accused in the Sandeshkhali case.