“Trinamool Congress Accuses CBI of Raids on West Bengal Election Day”

In Short

• Trinamool Congress alleges unscrupulous CBI raids on vote day
• Says agency attempted to tarnish party image
• BJP leader labels Trinamool Congress a ‘terrorist organisation’

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has lodged a strong protest against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging that the agency conducted raids in West Bengal on the day of elections.

The accusation follows a CBI operation that led to the seizure of weapons from an associate of Sheikh Shahjahan, a TMC leader who has been suspended.

The Mamata Banerjee-led party approached the Election Commission, raising concerns over the actions of both the CBI and the National Security Guard (NSG). They claimed that the CBI conducted “unscrupulous raids at empty locations in the state on vote day (April 26).”

In a formal complaint submitted to the Election Commission, the TMC stated, “Complaint against the CBI for carrying out an unscrupulous raid at an empty location in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, on poll day, to tarnish the image of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) during the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections, 2024.”

The complaint further questioned the legitimacy of the weapons seized during the raid, stating, “There is no way of knowing with certainty, as to whether these weapons were indeed recovered during the search and seizure procedure or whether they were surreptitiously planted by the CBI/NSG.”

Additionally, the TMC criticized the CBI for not coordinating with the state authorities before conducting the raid. They pointed out that the State Police has a fully functional bomb disposal squad that could have been involved if deemed necessary.

The controversy erupted after the CBI seized arms and ammunition, including a police service revolver and foreign-made firearms, from the premises of an associate of Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali.

This operation was linked to the January attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team by a mob allegedly incited by Sheikh.

Sheikh was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29, adding complexity to the situation.

The house where the arms were found belongs to Abu Taleb Mollah, a relative of Sheikh. However, it remains unclear why such a large cache of weapons and explosives was stored there.

Responding to the developments, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari labeled the TMC as a “terrorist organization” and demanded the arrest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Adhikari claimed that all the weapons recovered were of foreign origin, suggesting involvement in “anti-national activities.”

He further accused Mamata Banerjee of being “fully responsible” for the Sandeshkhali incident, intensifying the political tensions in the state.