In a significant development, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shibaprasad Hazra, closely associated with Sheikh Shahjahan, is facing another rape case in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. The complaint, filed by a woman from a village in Sandeshkhali, came to light after the intervention of the National Commission for Women (NCW).
Sources reveal that the woman filed a written complaint against Hazra after a visit from NCW chief Rekha Sharma to her home. The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 376, which pertains to rape.
This comes shortly after Hazra’s arrest on February 17 by the West Bengal Police in connection with a sexual harassment case filed by women in Sandeshkhali. Notably, Hazra is a close aide of TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, who has been on the run since January 5, following an attack by his supporters on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team attempting to raid his home.
Sandeshkhali has been embroiled in controversy as multiple women have come forward with allegations of systematic sexual exploitation and land grab against Sheikh and his associates. The victims claim they were taken to the Trinamool party office, where they were held against their will night after night, only being released once the Trinamool members were, in their words, “satisfied.”
In light of these troubling events, a pertinent question arises: How can authorities ensure the safety and security of individuals in such vulnerable situations, and what measures need to be in place to prevent abuses of power within political circles?
