How CBI found firearms from Sheikh Shahjahan's aide's Sandeshkhali home

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday recovered arms and ammunition during searches at two premises of an associate of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali. The searches were conducted in connection to the attack on a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 5 when it was on its way to raid Sheikh Shahjahan's residence.

But how did the CBI recover a huge cache of arms and ammunition? During an investigation in the case, the CBI received information that the items lost by the ED team and other incriminating articles may have been hidden at the house of an associate of Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali.

Accordingly, a team of CBI, along with CRPF personnel, on Friday searched two premises linked to Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali, a riverine delta on the fringes of the Sunderbans in North 24 Parganas district, and found the arms and ammunition.

A 10-member CBI team raided a house in Sandeshkhali's Sarberia area which belongs to Abu Taleb, the relative of a local Trinamool Congress leader, Hafizul Khan. Hafizul is an associate of Sheikh Shajahan.

The CBI recovered three foreign-made revolvers, one Indian revolver, one colt official police revolver, one foreign-made pistol, 120 pieces of 9 mm bullets, 50 pieces of .45 calibre cartridges, 120 pieces of 9 mm calibre cartridges, 50 pieces of .380 cartridges and eight pieces of .32 cartridges.

The federal agency informed the National Security Guard (NSG) about the firearms. The NSG reached the spot later and used robotic machines to extract the explosives.

Besides, many incriminating documents related to Sheikh Shahjahan have also been recovered. Some items suspected to be country-made bombs have also been recovered, which were being handled and disposed of by the NSG.

The CBI registered a case based on the directions of the Calcutta High Court on the issue of ED officials being attacked while they were on their way to raid Sheikh Shahjahan's house on January 5.

The recovery of arms and ammunition ignited a political firestorm between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. The ruling party claimed that the BJP was scheming to undermine the state government during the current Lok Sabha elections, while the BJP retaliated by accusing the Trinamool Congress of colluding with "anti-national forces".

Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on February 29, after 55 days on the run, in connection to the ED team attack case. Following his arrest, the West Bengal Police transferred his custody to the CBI.

Sheikh Shahjahan has also been accused of sexual violence and land grab by several women of the riverine village.

(with inputs from PTI)