West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday launched a blistering attack on the ruling TMC over the Sandeshkhali issue and said that blaming the Kolkata High Court for the delay in main accused Sheikh Shahjahan’s arrest amounted to ‘contempt of court’.
Speaking to reporters, the Congress state president said, “Women across West Bengal are out on the streets, crying for justice and fighting for the honour of fellow women in Sandeshkhali. Those in the TMC government should hang their heads in shame for failing to protect the women of Sandeshkhali. Laying the blaming on the High Court and the legal process (for the delay in the arrest of the accused Sheikh Shahjahan), instead, amounts to contempt of court. The government should be held in contempt for saying that the high court has tied the hands of the state police.”
Chowdhury claimed that the main accused was still in the wind with the active support and protection of the state administration, while others are being made scapegoats and arrested.
The Congress leader’s remarks came after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday said that his party was not defending the absconding ruling party leader, instead, it was the high court which had tied the hands of the state police.
“The so-called masters and defenders of human rights are chanting, ‘arrest him, arrest him’. What can the police do if their hands are tied by the high court? ED officials were assaulted on January 5 and the Calcutta High Court constituted a SIT to probe the incident. However, the ED appealed and sought a stay on the verdict. A bench led by the Chief Justice upheld their request. On March 6, there will be a fresh hearing in the matter. How will the police arrest (Shahjahan) if the high court ties the hands of the police administration,” he said.