ED team attacked during a raid in Bengal, political firestorm erupts

Kolkata/New Delhi: An Enforcement Directorate team was on Friday attacked and its vehicles damaged by a mob during a raid at the residence of a TMC leader in West Bengal, sparking a political firestorm and a fierce condemnation by Governor CV Ananda Bose who said the state is not a "banana republic."

The Enforcement Directorate(ED) said three of its officers suffered "grievous" injuries in the mob attack on its search team in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and that their personal belongings such as mobile phones and wallets were snatched.

In a statement released in Delhi on Friday night, the federal agency said it has filed a complaint with the local police for registration of an FIR against the accused. Even Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) personnel accompanying the raid team were not spared by the rampaging mob, it said.

While the BJP termed the attack on the officers of the central agency when they went to the residence of TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan in connection with its probe into a ration distribution scam as "a direct assault on the federal structure", the Congress demanded imposition of President's Rule in the eastern state. The BJP also said the continuance of the TMC government in the state is a threat to national security.

Addressing a news conference in Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation over the attack.

The Trinamool Congress(TMC) on its part accused the ED officials of inciting locals.

Shajahan is considered to be a close aide of state minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, who was arrested last year in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam.

Governor Bose while signaling his intent to explore constitutional options and take appropriate action urged the state police to abandon their "ostrich-like attitude" of pretending not to see lawlessness around.

"This kind of attack is unprecedented," an ED officer told PTI.

"ED officials while discharging their duties were badly attacked by the crowd Three officers have suffered grievous injuries as the mob marched towards the ED officials with an intention to cause death," the ED statement said. The mob was suspected to be instigated by Shajahan and his associates.

The injured officials are being treated at a hospital, the statement said.

Other officers had to escape from the place without conducting the search to save their lives as the mob became "very violent" and even chased the officials so as to deter them from performing their official duty, it said.

"The mob also snatched, robbed, stole the personal/official belongings of the ED officials such as their mobile phones, laptop, cash, wallets, etc." "Accordingly, requisite complaint has been made to jurisdictional police for registration of FIR and necessary action against culprits," it said.

As soon as the search team arrived at the residence of Shajahan, the door was found locked from inside and he refused to open the door.

The agency said its officers, with the assistance of CRPF personnel, were trying to get the door opened even by trying to contact the person concerned.

"His mobile location at that time indicated that he was inside this house. Thereafter, the ED team was taken by surprise that within half-an-hour, a mob of around 800-1,000 persons started marching towards them with weapons in their hands such as lathis, stones, bricks, etc. and gheraoed the ED officials and CRPF personnel." "Suddenly, they started attacking the ED officials and CRPF personnel and started pelting stones and bricks at them and attacked the officers as well as the 27 CRPF personnel with lathis and by using physical force and also raising/shouting slogans against the ED officers," the statement said.

The ED said the crowd also "badly" damaged vehicles that ferried the officers and security personnel.

Police, meanwhile, detained 10 persons for their alleged involvement in the assault on ED officers, an official said.

The ED officers were conducting raids at 15 places in the state and Shajahan’s house was one of them, an officer said.

With the attack again putting the spotlight on the law and order situation in West Bengal, Governor Bose slammed the Mamata Banerjee government's "ostrich-like attitude" for its inability to contain the turmoil in Sandeshkhali.

The Raj Bhavan occupant, with whom the TMC regime has strained ties on a host of issues, said a civilised government must stop "barbarism and vandalism in a democracy".

"The ghastly incident in Sandeshkhali is alarming and deplorable. It's the duty of a civilised government to stop barbarism and vandalism in a democracy. As a governor, I will explore all my constitutional options for appropriate action in the appropriate manner," Bose said in a voice message released from the Raj Bhavan.

He also asserted that West Bengal is not a "banana republic," and "Jungle Raj and gunda raj will work in a fool's paradise".

"The government may better open its eyes and see the reality and act effectively or face the consequences. The ostrich-like attitude of the police pretending not to see the lawlessness around should go." Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik said the Centre is taking serious note of the incident and its commitment to investigating why similar events persistently occur in West Bengal.

"The attack on the officers of the central agency is an attack on the federal structure of the state," he said.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting for an immediate National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the incident and demanding imposition of President's Rule in the state.

BJP co-incharge for political affairs in West Bengal Amit Malviya wrote on X, "This is how lawless Bengal is." "Continuance of the TMC government in West Bengal is a national security threat."

A team of the ED and accompanying media was attacked this morning in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, when it raided the premises of two block-level TMC leaders, Shahjahan Sheikh and Shankar Adhya, in connection with the ration scam, in which state food… pic.twitter.com/YyEudM89CX

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 5, 2024

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the TMC schemed to provoke the central forces into opening fire, intending to generate an issue and disrupt the ongoing investigation.

State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury echoed similar sentiments and said there is a complete lawlessness in Bengal.

"Under the TMC rule, law and order ceased to exist in West Bengal. We demand President's Rule should be immediately imposed," he said.

In response, senior TMC minister Shashi Panja charged the central agency officials with inciting locals leading to the situation.

"Union minister Nisith Pramanik spoke about the attack on the federal structure. The withholding of the state's dues in a real sense is an attack on the federal structure," she said.

The senior TMC leader also criticised the governor for his "biased" statements and "dared" the opposition to implement President's Rule and topple a democratically elected government.

"The central agency went for a raid without informing police or the state government. Is this an example of following the norms of federal structure," she said.

TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticised both the Congress and the BJP, contending that the law and order situation in West Bengal is far superior than other states.

Media persons from news channels, who went to Sandeskhali to cover the ED raids, were also allegedly assaulted and their vehicles ransacked.