CBI to quiz people with whom Shahjahan had conversations just before attack on ED sleuths

Kolkata, March 9 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will now interrogate each person with whom Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, the accused mastermind behind the January-5 attack on ED sleuths at Sandeshkhali, had conversations immediately before the attack.

Sources said the central agency sleuths are of the belief that from the outcome of the interrogation they will be able to have a clear idea on exactly how Shahjahan planned the attack on being informed that the ED sleuths and CAPF personnel are at his doorsteps.

The sources said that CBI has already got the details of the telephone calls made from the two mobiles of Shahjahan 30 minutes before the orchestrated atttack took place.

The calls that were made within a span of just around 30 minutes before the attack include--- calls to a legislator of the ruling party, to some members of the three-tier panchayat system from the two blocks of Sandeshkhali and to some of his confidant employees engaged in the businesses run by him, sources said.

The CBI sleuths, sources added, are especially intrigued about the call between the accused and the ruling party MLA made from one of the two mobile phones of Sheikh Shahjahan that lasted for around 90 seconds. The central agency sleuths believe that the subject of conversation during that brief period might reveal important information on the planning of the attack.

On Friday afternoon, the CBI conducted a raid and search operation at the residence of Abu Hussain Molla, a close aide of Shahjahan and one such person with whom the accused had conversation immediately before the attack.

Sources said the raid was conducted with the twin purpose of securing substantiating documents to establish Molla’s links with Shahjahan in the multi-crore ration distribution case, and the attack on ED and CAPF teams on January 5.