The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into a case involving Shahjahan Seikh and associates, with the recent detention of three individuals by its Kolkata Zonal Office. Shib Prasad Hazra, Sekh Alomgir, and Didar Boksh Molla were taken into custody on 12/04/2024, following a court order granting 10 days of ED custody. This development comes after the ED had earlier obtained custody of Shahjahan Seikh for 13 days.
The investigation, initiated based on multiple FIRs filed by the West Bengal Police, involves various serious offenses under the IPC Act, 1860, Arms Act, 1959, SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and other statutes. The allegations against Shahjahan Seikh and others include threats, murder, attempt to murder, extortion, and illegal land grabbing, among others.
During the investigation, it was uncovered that Shahjahan Seikh had allegedly usurped lands from tribals/farmers and operated fisheries on these illegally acquired lands. Proceeds of Crime (PoC) were purportedly generated through the sale of fish/shrimp from these lands under the guise of his firm M/s SK Sabina Fish Supplier, as well as from other businesses such as brick kilns. The cash obtained from these criminal activities was allegedly laundered through various firms/companies, including M/s Magnum Export, to conceal its illicit origins.
Furthermore, Shahjahan Seikh purportedly acquired numerous movable and immovable properties using funds derived from criminal activities. The ED had previously attached various assets belonging to Shahjahan Seikh, amounting to approximately Rs. 12.78 Crore, through a Provisional Attachment Order dated 05/03/2024.
The detention of Shib Prasad Hazra, Sekh Alomgir, and Didar Boksh Molla marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation, as the ED aims to unravel the complex web of illegal activities and bring those involved to justice.
