‘Turned Blind Eye’: TMC Moves EC Over Sandeshkhali Raid By CBI On Polling Day, Alleges BJP’s Conspiracy

TMC claimed that the CBI didn't inform the state government or the police before carrying out the raid. It said the CBI brought along a bomb squad for the raid even when the state police had a fully functional bomb disposal unit.

The Trinamool Congress (TNC) on Saturday wrote to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer complaining against the CBI for conducting a raid in Sandeshkhali on election day. The Mamata Banerjee-led party said that the CBI carried out an “unscrupulous raid” at an empty location in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, on poll day, to “tarnish” the image of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) during the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections, 2024.

The Bengal ruling party also accused the poll body of turning a “blind eye” to the actions of Central probe agencies, particularly during election periods.  “Previously, we have brought to your attention the need for urgent guidelines/framework so that Central investigating agencies cannot throttle the campaign efforts of various political parties, including AITC, who are opposed to the ruling dispensation at the Centre. However, despite repeated representations, your office has turned a blind eye while Central probe agencies continue to wreak havoc across the nation, especially during the election period,” the letter said.

TMC claimed that the CBI didn’t inform the state government or the police before carrying out the raid. It said the CBI brought along a bomb squad for the raid even when the state police had a fully functional bomb disposal unit.

“Today, i.e. 26.04.2024, is the day earmarked as the polling day for Phase II of the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections, 2024. More specifically in West Bengal, the electorate was scheduled to vote in three Parliamentary Constituencies, which are, Darjeeling, Raiganj and Balurghat. While elections were going on, the CBI deliberately carried out an unscrupulous raid at an empty location in Sandeshkhali. Media reports suggest that the CBI called in additional forces including the bomb squad of the National Security Guard (NSG). It has also been reported that arms and ammunition have been recovered from a house during such raid,” it added.

TMC writes to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer complaining against the CBI for conducting a raid in Sandeshkhali on election day. pic.twitter.com/e4xLeBpC9j

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2024

Moreover, TMC’s letter implicated the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging a “concerted effort” to target the TMC through CBI’s actions.

“It is apposite to mention that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, have regularly targeted AITC during its campaign trail vis-à-vis alleged crimes committed in Sandeshkhal,” the party said.

“Pertinently, the CBI is controlled by the BJP through the Central Government. Today’s actions are another testament to the fact that the BJP has weaponised the Central investigating agencies, including the CBI to, inter alia, carry out a smear campaign against AITC which would help sway the mindset of the voters in its favour, TMC alleged in its letter.

The searches in Sandeshkhali were conducted in connection with the January attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team by a mob that was allegedly instigated by Sheikh Shahjahan, who was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in the case.

Teams of the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI), the bomb detection squad, the National Security Guard (NSG), the central paramilitary forces and the West Bengal Police were part of the searches at the village — a riverine delta — on the fringes of the Sunderbans in North 24 Parganas district.