ED files charges against suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh

The chargesheet was filed before a special court in Kolkata under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The CBI had also filed its chargesheet against Sheikh and several others this week.

Sheikh, the ED claimed in a statement, had “built a criminal empire revolving around land grabbing, illegal fish farming/trading, appropriation of brick fields, cartelisation of contracts, collection of illegal taxes/levies, commission on land deals, etc.”

The suspended TMC leader, his brother and his two alleged aides have been arrested by the ED in the case and are currently in judicial custody. The agency may file additional chargesheets in the case, official sources said.

Sheikh was arrested by the ED on March 30 in connection with a mob attack on agency officials when they raided his premises at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas on January 5. The incident was in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged ration distribution scam in the state.

The recent money laundering investigation against Sheikh and his accomplices follows several FIRs filed by the West Bengal Police against them for threat, murder, attempt to murder, extortion, land grabbing, etc.

The ED said it has recorded the statements of various people in the case, including local farmers, tribals, fish traders, agents, exporters, landowners and builders, and has also seized three SUVs belonging to Sheikh and Alomgir. The total “proceeds of crime” in this money laundering case is estimated at Rs 288.20 crore, according to the ED.