In a very distressing incident, the officials of the Enforcement Directorate, who were conducting searches at Trinamool Congress leader Sahajahan Sheikh in connection with the alleged Public Distribution Scam, were attacked and serious injuries were inflicted on them by the leader’s loyalists on Friday. Giving chilling details about the case, the Enforcement Directorate stated that a mob consisting of 800 to 1000 people attacked the officials with an “intention to cause death”.
The ED officials informed that three of its employees were severely injured and the mob also robbed its personal belongings, including mobile phones, wallets, and laptops.
Outrightly criticizing the violent incident, Union Minister Giriraj Singh drew a similarity between Mamata Banerjee’s government and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Minister noted that democracy does not seem to be hailing in Mamata Banerjee-ruled state and that it appears that there is a “Kim Jong-Un government”.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a Central investigative team found itself amidst such a grievous situation in West Bengal.
CBI vs CM
In 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation team was halted when it was on its way to the Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s residence on Park Street to enquire about him in connection with the Sarada chit fund case. However, the CBI was taken to a local police station and was detained.
The West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee, then sat on a 70-hour-long dharna to “save the constitution” after a huge showdown between the police and officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation. “There is total constitutional breakdown. It is my job to protect my officers,” the Chief Minister had said.
NHRC Teams Attacked
Post-poll violence has always remained a contentious issue in West Bengal and happens every time. In the 2021 Assembly Elections as well, large-scale violence erupted in the state, prompting the Calcutta High Court to order a CBI and National Human Rights Commission to conduct an investigation.
However, a member of the NHRC team and the vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities, Atif Rasheed who visited the Jadavpur area in south suburban Kolkata to investigate, came under attack. Videos from the incident went viral where the TMC goons could be seen threatening the NHRC member. Rasheed noted that the attack serves as evidence for the High Court about the reign of terror that has been unleashed in Bengal.
Child Rights Panel Assaulted
While examining the alleged murder of a 7-year-old girl in April 2023, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief Priyank Kanoongo was assaulted by an officer in Kolkata’s Tijala Police Station. The NCPCR chief further claimed that he was not only attacked, but the police personnel also secretly recorded the video of NCPCR’s investigation.
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