The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed crucial evidence against Sheikh Shahjahan, a suspended leader of the Trinamool Congress, for his involvement in a major land scam in Sandeshkhali.
As per the sources, Shahjahan and his associates used coercive tactics to obtain signatures from landowners, authorizing him to sell their land through the Power of Attorney. This allowed Shahjahan to sell the land at high prices to third parties, while the original landowners received only a small fraction of the sale proceeds.
Adding on to these tactics, Shahjahan employed a more nefarious method to grab land. He would deliberately flood the land with saline water, rendering it unusable for agriculture. This forced the landowners to sell their land at throwaway prices.
The ED’s investigation revealed that once Shahjahan acquired the Power of Attorney, he would sell the land at premium prices, keeping most of the profit for himself. The original landowners, who had been coerced into signing over their rights, were left with minimal compensation.
These findings were included in a charge sheet filed by the ED at a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata recently. The charge sheet details the Power of Attorney scheme used by Shahjahan to facilitate his illegal land deals.
The ED has also uncovered another source of Shahjahan’s illegal income. Fishermen and owners of fisheries in Sandeshkhali were forced to sell their produce, mainly prawns and shrimp, to agents selected by Shahjahan. These agents purchased the fish at low prices set by Shahjahan. Subsequently, the fish was sold at much higher prices in the export market, allowing Shahjahan to pocket significant profits.
In their recent charge sheet, the ED has accused Shahjahan of amassing ₹261 crore through illegal land grabs in Sandeshkhali. So far, the central agency has identified 59.5 acres of land that were illegally acquired.
In addition, the ED has confiscated assets and property worth ₹27 crore owned by Shahjahan as part of their ongoing investigation. These assets include properties and other valuables that are believed to have been acquired through his illicit activities.
This investigation by the ED highlights the extent of corruption and illegal activities involving land and fisheries in Sandeshkhali. The findings underscore the need for stringent measures to prevent such scams and protect the rights of landowners and fishermen in the region.
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