Court Asks Bengal Cops To Produce Case Diary In Probe Team Attack FIR

The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal police on Monday to produce the case diary in the FIR filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on a mob attack on its officials when they went to search the premises of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh at Sandeshkhali on January 5.

A lawyer, claiming to represent Mr Shajahan, prayed for permission to be added as a party in the matter.

Justice Jay Sengupta directed that the case diary be produced on Tuesday when the matter will be taken up for hearing again.

The Enforcement Directorate raided Mr Sheikh's house on January 5 in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam in West Bengal.

Justice Sengupta noted that a counsel approached the court claiming to represent the accused Sajahan Sheikh, but was yet to have the necessary vakalatnama, a written document which authorises a lawyer to represent a person in a legal proceeding.

"He prayed that his client ought to have an audience here. But, he is not having the vakalatnama at present," the court said.

Justice Sengupta directed that in the event the counsel is able to procure a vakalatnama, he will be at liberty to file an application for addition of party for his client.

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a look out circular against Shajahan Sheikh.

Enforcement Directorate's counsel submitted before the court that the agency found links to Shankar Addhya, who has been arrested by the agency, and Mr Shajahan during its investigation into the alleged ration distribution scam.

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested state's Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick, who held the Food and Supplies portfolio from 2011 to 2021, and is at present in judicial remand in the case.

The state's counsel submitted that four people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the Enforcement Directorate officials.

Justice Sengupta asked how only four people were arrested when it has been alleged that hundreds were involved in the attack on the Enforcement Directorate officials.

The Enforcement Directorate's counsel also submitted that despite a murderous attack on the officials, milder sections of IPC were given in the FIR filed by the officials of Najat police station, within the area of which Ms Shajahan's house is located, on the complaint by the agency.

The Enforcement Directorate  has stated that three of its officers were injured and their belongings were snatched in an attack on them at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on January 5.

It was stated that vehicles of Enforcement Directorate officials and the CRPF personnel were also damaged by the mob.

Another single bench of the high court had on January 11 ordered an interim stay on proceedings in an FIR against Enforcement Directorate officials who went to search the premises of Mr Shajahan.

The Enforcement Directorate had moved the court praying for quashing of the FIR lodged at the Nazat police station in North 24 Parganas district against its officials, claiming that false allegations were foisted against them.

In the FIR, one Didar Baksh Molla, stated to be a caretaker of Sheikh's residence, accused the Enforcement Directorate officials of theft, outraging modesty and beating women and children when they went to raid Shajahan's house on January 5.

Three FIRs were registered on that day in connection with the incident.

The first FIR was lodged by Didar Baksh Molla, at 10.30 am, a second FIR was filed suo motu by the Nazat police on the incident on the basis of a general diary by a sub-inspector of the police station at 1.30 pm and the third was by the ED at around 8.10 pm.

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Nitish Kumar Attends Lalu Yadav's Makar Sankranti Feast Amid Rift Rumours

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday treated himself to a Makar Sankranti feast hosted by RJD president Lalu Prasad, belying recent speculations that the alliance between the two had hit a rough patch.

Mr Prasad's younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the state's deputy Chief Minister, expressed delight over the visit of the chief minister and made light of the speculations of a rift in the ruling Mahagathbandhan.

"We were pleased to have at our place the honourable chief minister on a day we have been, since long, treating people to 'dahi chuda' (flattened rice with curd), items made of 'til' (sesame) and 'konhre ki sabzi' (pumpkin stew). Other colleagues in the cabinet have been dropping in as well. We welcome them all," said Yadav, who briefly interacted with the posse of journalists.

The young RJD leader blamed the opposition BJP in the state and a section of the press for speculations of a trust deficit which grew strong ever since Mr Kumar took over as the JD(U) national president, replacing Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" who gave up the post-mid-term.

"Ever since Lalu-ji and Nitish-ji joined hands, the BJP has been scared. Also, we are running a government that has delivered on its promise of job creation on a large scale. As such, there is no need for any explanation on the various theories that have been doing the rounds," asserted Mr Yadav.

Notably, a section of the press had claimed that Lalan ran afoul of Nitish Kumar after he allegedly hatched a conspiracy to dethrone the latter so that Mr Yadav could take over as the CM.

Lalan has reacted by slapping legal notices on the outlets concerned and claimed that he relinquished the top party post to focus more on his Lok Sabha constituency and that it was upon his request that Kumar, the JD(U)'s de facto leader, agreed to take over as the party chief.

Interestingly, Lalan also walked beside Kumar when the two leaders emerged from the CM's residence and walked down to 10, Circular Road, the government bungalow allotted to Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, in her capacity as a former chief minister.

The elderly couple flashed a broad smile at Mr Kumar, who caused a flutter with his optics, but chose not to take any questions from journalists while sauntering back from the RJD leaders' place.

A host of other senior leaders from the JD(U) also turned up at the feast, including ministers Ashok Choudhary, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Sanjay Kumar Jha besides state unit chief Umesh Kushwaha.

Mr Yadav, who held fort engaging with the media contingent, was asked about the perception that the JD(U) was running out of patience by the "delay" in finalisation of a seat-sharing formula because Mahagathbandhan partners were coming up with competing claims.

"How do you know that such a formula has not been arrived at in Bihar? Who knows, it may have been finalised," cryptically said the RJD leader, whose party has been entrusted with negotiating, on behalf of junior partners Congress and Left, with the JD(U).

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Why Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu Is Talking Tough: Explainer

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's demand that India withdraw its troops stationed in the country by mid-March is the newest in the anti-India rhetoric in the island nation that has started over the last few years. The number of troops -- 88 -- is too few to be a threat, which is what their presence is being portrayed as.

The troops have been stationed in Maldives since 2010 as part of a bilateral ties that involve training of Maldivian troops in combat and reconnaissance. They also provide help with humanitarian aid and medical evacuations for the residents of the remote islands.

Domestic politics of Maldives

President Muizzu is widely seen as a pro-China leader, a departure from his predecessors who pursued a pro-India policy. One of the key slogans for his campaign was "India Out'. The coalition government of the People's National Congress & the Progressive Party of Maldives party is currently following the pro-China policy to remove what they call the Indian influence.

Ahead of the Presidential election held in Maldives at the end of September, supporters of the People's National Congress of President Muizzu had pushed a narrative that the Ibrahim Mohamed Solih-led Maldivian Democratic Party was influenced by India.

The formal demand for troop removal was first made around two months ago -- shortly after the Muizzu government came to power in September, riding on an anti-India agenda.

Anti-India build-up

India's gift of two military Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters helicopters to Maldives for rescue ops have been portrayed as creation of military presence.

An agreement for the UTF Harbour Project agreement, signed in February 2021 -- under which India was to develop and maintain a harbour and dockyard at Uthuru Thilafalhu near Maldives capital Malé -- has been a subject of intense speculation. A section of local media claimed that the project would eventually lead to the building of an Indian naval base there.

Fuelled by social media, a diplomatic row with India started as Maldivian ministers made derogatory comments following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's widely circulated post about his visit to the Lakshadweep islands. Three ministers who made harsh comments, were, however, removed.

China factor

President Muizzu's demand for the removal of Indian troops was also made days after his visit to China, when the two nations upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

China is interested in expanding its influence in Maldives owing to its strategic position in the Indian Ocean. The islands are located on the one of the busiest maritime trade highways through which nearly 80 per cent of China's oil imports pass.

Maldives and China have signed 20 important agreements during President Muizzu's visit. China has given Male an aid of 130 million dollars which will be spent on the development projects.

Should India be concerned

The foreign ministry is yet to comment on Male's demand for troop withdrawal.

Former foreign minister Shashi Tharoor has warned about the increasing proximity between China and Maldives.

"There is no doubt about the fact that China has been attempting to expand its influence throughout our periphery. They have been increasingly influential in everyone of our neighbouring countries, everyone, without exception," he said.

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