On Tuesday, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan experienced a moment of deep sorrow after a court hearing in Basirhat, West Bengal. Upon seeing his daughter outside the courtroom, Shahjahan was unable to contain his emotions and broke down in tears. A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows Shahjahan sitting in a police van, wiping away tears after a brief exchange with his daughter.
Shahjahan, a former TMC strongman, was accused of sexual violence and land grab by several women in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. He was arrested on February 29th after 55 days on the run in connection with an attack on Enforcement Directorate officials. His arrest came three days after the Calcutta High Court criticized the state police for delaying action against the TMC leader, stating that he should be apprehended.
In the aftermath of Shahjahan’s arrest, the West Bengal Police transferred his custody to the CBI. The video of Shahjahan’s emotional outburst sparked a reaction from BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, who took a jibe at the former TMC leader. Malviya referred to Shahjahan as a “poster boy” of Mamata Banerjee and remarked that he was crying like an “inconsolable child”.
In a post on Twitter, Malviya said, “The swag has disappeared. Mamata Banerjee’s poster boy – rapist Sheikh Shahjahan is weeping like an inconsolable child. Criminal Anubroto Mondal is in jail. This is the fate that awaits the likes of Saokat Mollah, Jehangir Khan, and others, who have unleashed a reign of terror across Bengal. No one will come to save them when law catches up. Not Mamata Banerjee for sure. She couldn’t even save her ministers. The clock is ticking. #Sandeshkhali”
The emotional breakdown of Shahjahan, a once-powerful TMC leader, serves as a reminder of the consequences of alleged wrongdoing. The incident has also become a flashpoint for political commentary, with the BJP and TMC trading barbs over the issue.
