The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday seized a cache of arms and ammunition during its searches on two premises in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali in the case related to the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.
Among the seized articles are three revolvers and one pistol of foreign make, a revolver and one Colt official police revolver, one country-made pistol, 120 9-mm bullets, 50 cartridges of .45 calibre, 120 cartridges of 9-mm calibre, 50 .380 cartridges and eight .32 cartridges.
In March, the CBI had registered the case following a directive from the Calcutta High Court to probe the attack on the ED officials during their searches of the residential and official premises of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan.
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Documents, bombs seized
The CBI searches were carried out based on inputs that the items lost by the ED team and other incriminating articles may be hidden at the residence of an associate of Mr. Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas. “Accordingly, the CBI team along with Central Reserve Police Force personnel searched the two premises,” an official said.
The agency also seized many “incriminating” documents related to Mr. Shahjahan. “Some items suspected to be country-made bombs have also been recovered, which are being handled and disposed off by the teams from National Security Guard,” it said.
On March 11, the CBI had arrested three associates of Mr. Shahjahan — Jaiuddin Molla, the pradhan of the Sarberia gram panchayat, Faruk Akunji, and Didar Baksh Molla — in the same case.
Mr. Shahjahan was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29. The CBI later took him into its custody in March, pursuant to the directions of a Division Bench of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. He and his associates have been accused of grabbing land and sexually assaulting women in Sandeshkhali.
