ED frames charges against Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali land-grab case
Synopsis
The ED has formally charged Sheikh Shahjahan — the TMC strongman whose supporters attacked federal investigators in January 2024 — in the Sandeshkhali land-grabbing case. With ₹5 crore allegedly extracted through coercion and 30 witnesses lined up, the trial phase beginning 7 July will test how far accountability reaches into Bengal's political machinery.
Key Takeaways
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) framed charges against Sheikh Shahjahan and three others — Alamgir , Shiba Prasad Hazra , and Didar Boksh Molla — on 15 June in the ED special court, Kolkata .
The ED alleges land was forcibly grabbed in Sandeshkhali , generating approximately ₹5 crore in proceeds.
The case stems from a 5 January 2024 ED raid in Sandeshkhali during which Shahjahan's supporters attacked federal investigators.
Shahjahan, a former Executive Director of North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad and TMC functionary, was arrested on 29 February 2024 after 55 days on the run.
The ED will begin recording testimony from 30 witnesses at the next hearing on 7 July .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, 15 June framed charges against former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and three others in a land-grabbing case linked to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The charges were formally framed at the ED special court in Kolkata, marking a significant escalation in the prolonged legal proceedings against the accused.
Who Has Been Charged
Apart from Sheikh Shahjahan, the ED has named three co-accused in the charge sheet: Alamgir, Shiba Prasad Hazra, and Didar Boksh Molla. The agency alleges that land was forcibly seized in Sandeshkhali by threatening local residents, and that the accused subsequently earned approximately ₹5 crore by exploiting that land. The case will next be heard on 7 July, when the ED is expected to begin recording testimony from 30 witnesses.
The Sandeshkhali Crisis: How It Unfolded
The chain of events that brought Sandeshkhali to national attention began on 5 January 2024, when an ED team visited the Agarhati area under Sandeshkhali I block in Basirhat to investigate a ration corruption case. The operation targeted Shahjahan, who was then serving as Executive Director of the North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad. Supporters of Shahjahan attacked the ED team, triggering a series of disclosures that deepened the crisis.
In February 2024, widespread protests erupted across the area as villagers came forward with allegations of systematic land grabbing and sexual harassment of women by Shahjahan and his associates. The protests drew sustained national media coverage and raised questions about law enforcement in the region.
Arrest and Custody Trail
Shahjahan remained on the run for 55 days after the attack on the ED team, before being arrested by police on 29 February 2024. He was subsequently handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which was independently probing the attack on the ED officials. The ED later took Shahjahan into its own custody on corruption charges while he remained in CBI custody.
Allegations against him span multiple fronts — including torture of villagers, sexual harassment of women, land grabbing, and financial corruption — making this one of the more complex multi-agency investigations in recent West Bengal history.
What Happens Next
With charges now formally framed, the case moves into the evidence stage. The ED is set to present testimony from its 30 witnesses beginning 7 July. The proceedings will be closely watched given the political sensitivity of the case and the involvement of a former TMC functionary. The outcome could have broader implications for accountability in local governance across West Bengal.
Point of View
But the harder test lies ahead: whether a conviction follows in a case that is politically loaded and multi-agential. The Sandeshkhali episode exposed a pattern where local political power was allegedly used to suppress both economic rights and personal safety of residents — yet it took a federal raid gone wrong to surface it. With the CBI, ED, and police all holding pieces of the same puzzle, coordination failures in the trial phase could allow the accused to exploit procedural gaps. The 30-witness list is large; its credibility and protection will matter as much as the charges themselves.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges has the ED framed against Sheikh Shahjahan?
The ED has charged Sheikh Shahjahan and three others — Alamgir, Shiba Prasad Hazra, and Didar Boksh Molla — in a land-grabbing case in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas. The agency alleges land was forcibly seized by threatening residents, generating approximately ₹5 crore in proceeds.
When is the next hearing in the Sandeshkhali ED case?
The next hearing is scheduled for 7 July, when the ED will begin recording testimony. There are 30 witnesses listed in the case.
Who is Sheikh Shahjahan and why was he arrested?
Sheikh Shahjahan is a former TMC strongman who served as Executive Director of the North 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad. He was arrested on 29 February 2024, after spending 55 days on the run following an attack by his supporters on an ED team that had visited Sandeshkhali on 5 January 2024 to probe a ration corruption case.
What triggered the Sandeshkhali protests in 2024?
After the January 2024 attack on the ED team, villagers in Sandeshkhali came forward in February 2024 with allegations of land grabbing and sexual harassment of women by Shahjahan and his associates, sparking widespread protests that drew national attention.
Which agencies are investigating Sheikh Shahjahan?
Both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are pursuing separate but related cases against Shahjahan — the CBI for the attack on ED officials, and the ED for money laundering linked to land grabbing and corruption.
