Shocking Seizures In Sandeshkhali: CBI Recovers Foreign Revolvers, Police Revolver, Live Cartridges

The Central Bureau of Investigation today recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition including foreign-med pistols and a police revolver from Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, where the Enforcement Directorate team was attacked. The CBI made the seizures during searches in the area. As per reports, the CBI recovered 3 foreign-made revolvers, one Indian revolver, one Colt Official Police revolver, one foreign-made pistol, 1 country-made pistol, 120 bullets of 9 mm, 50 cartridges of .45 calibre, 50 cartridges of .38 calibre and eight cartridges of .32 calibre.

Teams of the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI), the bomb detection squad, the National Security Guard (NSG), the central paramilitary forces and the West Bengal Police were part of the searches at the village. "Many incriminating documents related to Former TMC leader SK Shahjahan have also been recovered. Some items suspected to be country-made bombs have also been recovered which are being handled and disposed of by the teams from NSG," said the CBI.

Earlier, a bomb squad of the National Security Guard (NSG) arrived at Agarhati village in Sandeshkhali with its robotic equipment to diffuse the country-made bombs recovered from the site. Since this morning, the CBI has been conducting multiple raids in West Bengal in connection with the Sandeshkhali case.

The attack on an ED team in January this year was allegedly instigated by now-suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh.

The recoveries were made from a house belonging to Abu Taleb Mollah, a relative of Sheikh. The house, which was cordoned off by security forces, was built amid water bodies used for fish farming. Central forces used metal detectors outside the house to check whether more arms and ammunition were buried. A robotic device was also deployed for the purpose.

The searches were initiated in relation to three FIRs filed by the CBI concerning the assault on a team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5. This incident occurred during a raid on the premises of Sheikh, allegedly involved in a ration scam. The Calcutta High Court's directive prompted the central agency to register three FIRs regarding the events of January 5. Sheikh was arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has moved to the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's April 10 order for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. The matter will be heard on April 29.