West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday welcomed the arrest of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in the Sandeshkhali case, seeing it as a potential catalyst for a new dawn of lawfulness in the state while emphasising the urgent need to incarcerate criminals wielding influence in various parts of Bengal.
Absconding TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh was arrested in the early hours of Thursday from a house in Minakhan, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali.
"This is the beginning of an end. We have to put an end to the cycle of violence in Bengal. In parts of Bengal, the goons are ruling the roost. This must end and the gangsters should be put behind the bars", the governor said at a press conference here.
Bose maintained that the Sandeshkhali incident is only the tip of an iceberg, suggesting there is much more to it than what meets the eye.
Earlier in the day, he described the development as a potential harbinger of justice in the state.
"I had mentioned that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. That is democracy. We waited, and now we see the outcome. It is a lesson for all. Now, let's hope a new dawn of lawfulness will come back to Bengal," Bose remarked.
The TMC, which was prompt in suspending Shajahan for six years and removing him from party posts, attributed his arrest to the court's facilitation of legal action and accused the opposition of exploiting the previous embargo on his arrest.
"Due to legal complexities, his arrest was initially hindered. However, following the court's clarification that no stay was imposed on his arrest, the West Bengal Police executed their duty. The Opposition had earlier exploited the constraints on his apprehension," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.
The Sandeshkhali region, located on the fringes of the Sundarbans, has been engulfed in turmoil for over a month due to accusations against Sheikh and his cohorts of sexual abuse and land usurpation.
Sheikh's evasion began after an ED team investigating an alleged ration scam was assaulted by a mob at his residence on January 5.
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