Supreme Court refuses to interfere with Calcutta High Court order for CBI probe into attack on ED officers

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court's order for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers who had gone to raid premises linked to suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh [State of West Bengal and ors vs Directorate of Enforcement]..A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, however, expunged the observations made by the High Court against the West Bengal government and the local police for their apparent delay in arresting Sheikh. .This delay was taken note of by the Supreme Court as well today. Justice Gavai questioned the State for not having arrested Sheikh at the earliest. The Court then said that it was not inclined to interfere with the operative part of the High Court's order, which transferred the case from the West Bengal police to the CBI. "We are inclined to grant leave for the limited purpose of the observations (to expunge adverse observations against the State)," the top court added. .Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who represented the ED, did not oppose the prayer for expunging the remarks.Therefore, the Court proceeded to expunge the remarks in question. "The observations against the police and the State government are deemed to be expunged," the Supreme Court ordered. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the State of West Bengal before the Supreme Court..The Court was dealing with a plea by the West Bengal government challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to task the CBI with the investigation of the case concerning an attack on ED officers, allegedly by Shahjahan Sheikh's aides. .By way of background, on January 5, around 200 local people surrounded a team of ED officers who had arrived to raid Sheikh's residence at Akunjipara in connection with a ration scam case. Sheikh is alleged to have close links with an accused in that case. ED officers were injured during the ensuing clash on January 5. In the following days, more allegations emerged against Sheikh. In particular, Sheikh was accused of sexual assault and land-grabbing activities in Sandeshkhalli village of West Bengal.The TMC leader remained absconding for about 55 days before he was finally arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29, after strong reprimand by the Calcutta High Court over the State's delay in arresting Sheikh. Soon after his arrest, the TMC announced that they were suspending Sheikh from the party for six years. .Meanwhile, both the CBI and the ED expressed concern that the West Bengal police may try to dilute the case against Sheikh if it continued with any investigation against him or retained custody over him. The State government maintained that it was competent to carry out the probe.However, on March 5, with controversy around Sheikh growing in the State, the High Court ordered that the probe against him be transferred to the CBI. The State was also ordered to hand over Sheikh's custody to the CBI on the same day..This was challenged by the West Bengal government before the Supreme Court, which has now declined to interfere with the CBI probe. .Sandeshkhali: Calcutta High Court refuses urgent hearing to TMC's Sheikh Shahjahan, says "we have no sympathy"