A key witness in the case where Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers were attacked, involving jailed former Sandeshkhali strongman and TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, was seriously injured on Wednesday in a road accident.
The accident also claimed the lives of his youngest son and the car’s driver. The incident on Basanti Highway triggered tension in Sandeshkhali and raised allegations of a “planned assault” aimed at preventing the witness from deposition in court. The deceased were identified as 22-year-old Satyajit Ghosh and driver Shahanur Molla. The injured witness, Bholanath Ghosh, who survived with critical injuries, was first taken to Minakhan hospital and later referred to Kolkata as his condition deteriorated. Police said two other injured occupants of the vehicle were also shifted to Kolkata for specialised treatment.
According to police and local sources, the four-wheeler carrying Ghosh and his son, was headed to the Basirhat court where Ghosh was scheduled to testify in a CBI case related to the mob attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali earlier this year. Around the Boyermari petrol pump area near Malancha, a truck coming from the opposite direction allegedly swerved and hit their vehicle, sending both the car and the truck into the roadside water body. Satyajit and the driver died on the spot.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Ghosh alleged that the collision appeared “suspicious”. “We had crossed Boyermari when the truck came from the left and hit our car. We went straight into the water. I lost consciousness… I feel this was planned. But the administration will know best,” he said. His elder son, Biswajit Ghosh, was categorical. He directly accused jailed former TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan of orchestrating a conspiracy to eliminate his father, a crucial witness against him. Biswajit named two local residents — Sabita Roy and Moslem Sheikh — both known to be close to Shahjahan, as alleged collaborators. “My father was regularly receiving threats. This was no accident. It was a planned murder attempt,” he claimed. The family further alleged that the truck driver is from Sandeshkhali and closely associated with Shahjahan.
Police, however, said the driver is absconding and efforts are on to trace him. “We have not received any written complaint alleging a planned attack until Wednesday afternoon,” a senior district police officer said, adding that a case of accidental death and rash driving has been registered and the vehicle involved has been seized. Investigation has been handed over to Rajbari outpost, under Nazat police station. Shahjahan remains in jail, facing multiple cases, including charges of intimidation of Sandeshkhali residents even while incarcerated. The latest incident has renewed concerns among witnesses in the ED and CBI cases.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari demanded that the case be transferred outside West Bengal, alleging “a systematic attempt to silence witnesses”. “If this is not probed independently, the remaining witnesses may face dangerous consequences,” he warned.