Calcutta High Court says 'no sympathy' for Sandeshkhali atrocities accused Shahjahan Sheikh

Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked him to appear before it on Monday, when a suo motu motion on alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing of tribal people at Sandeshkhali is scheduled to be heard

TTO Graphics.

PTI, Calcutta, 29.02.24 :  Stating that the court has "no sympathy" for Trinamul Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday asked his lawyer to appear before it on March 4 when a suo motu motion on alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing of tribal people at Sandeshkhali will be heard.

Sheikh's lawyer appeared before the court and sought to make an urgent submission with regard to his client.

Stating that the court has "no sympathy" for Sheikh, a division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked him to appear before it on Monday, when a suo motu motion on alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing of tribal people at Sandeshkhali is scheduled to be heard.

The court said that if Sheikh had given vakalatnama to the lawyer, then his whereabouts were known.

The vakalatnama is a document by which a client authorises a lawyer to represent him/her before the court.

Sheikh, accused of sexual atrocities and land grab was arrested by the state police on Thursday morning.

When Sheikh's lawyer stated that an anticipatory bail prayer made by him was rejected two days ago and four other applications made by him were still pending before the courts, the CJ said that 42 cases were pending against the TMC leader.

The CJ told the lawyer that he will have wonderful work for the next 10 years as he would be busy handling matters relating to Sheikh.

"For the next ten years, you will not have the time to handle any other brief," the CJ said.

He said that the lawyer will need to have a big legal team to handle cases relating to Sheikh.