Barasat (West Bengal): Trinamool Congress leader Shiba Prasad Hajra, one of the prime accused in the case of alleged land grab and sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali, was remanded to police custody for eight days by a court in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Sunday.
Hazra, who is also a Zilla Parishad member of North 24 Parganas district, was picked up from a hideout in Sandeshkhali on Saturday. The police arrested him under various sections of the IPC including 354A (sexual harassment), 376D (gangrape) and 307 (attempt to murder).
The last two sections were added after a survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before a magistrate. Hazra has also been booked under IPC Sections 354B (trying to disrobe a woman in public place), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 509 (insulting modesty of a woman) and others.
He would again be produced at the court on February 26. The police produced Hazra before a court in Basirhat and sought custody for 10 days. However, eight days of police remand was given.
The police claimed in the court that Hazra was arrested when he was trying to escape. The court was also told that he was an influential person and granting bail to him might affect law and order in Sandeshkhali.
Hazra was also TMC block president of Sandeshkhali Block II. Following his arrest, the charge was handed over to the local MLA. Of the two other prime accused, police arrested Uttam Sardar a week ago while Shajahan Sheikh is absconding.
A total of 18 people have been arrested in the case so far. Villages in Sandeshkhali area have witnessed protests over allegations of sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing since the first week of February.
Sandeshkhali came to limelight after Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked by a mob when they went to search the premises of Sheikh on January 5 in connection with a probe into an alleged ration distribution scam.
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