National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday and submitted a report on the Sandeshkhali violence recommending the President’s Rule in West Bengal.
A team of the NCW recently visited the restive Sandeshkhali village to probe the reports of sexual violence and intimidation against women in the region by TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides.
Sharma submitted a fact-finding report prepared by the commission which reportedly said that it has gathered disturbing testimonies of women alleging widespread fear and systematic abuse by both police officers and members of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Earlier, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC), which conducted a detailed investigation into the matter, had also recommended presidential rule in the TMC-ruled state.
Several women in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali alleged that the TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his “gang” captured swathes of land by force, besides “sexually harassing” them.
Sandeshkhali Violence Investigation
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of investigation into an attack on Enforcement Directorate officials at Sandeshkhali on January 5 from the West Bengal Police to the CBI.
The court also directed that the custody of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, who was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29 in connection with the attack, be handed over to the central agency.
Hours after the high court’s order, the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee moved the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order transferring the probe to the CBI.
Shahjahan Sheikh was arrested by Bengal police a day after the high court ordered that Sheikh can be arrested by the CBI, the ED or the police.
