PMLA court extends Shajahan's judicial custody in money laundering case till May 13

Kolkata: A special PMLA court on Monday extended the judicial custody of the now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader, Shajahan Sheikh, till May 13 in connection with a money laundering case over alleged siphoning of cash in the garb of pisciculture business.

Sheikh was arrested by the ED on March 30 in connection with a mob assault on the agency's officials when they had gone to search his premises in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on January 5 in relation to another money laundering case.

The ED has accused Sheikh of laundering money through the siphoning of ill-gotten funds derived from land grabbing of hapless villagers, masquerading as a pisciculture business.

Sheikh is also accused in the mob attack on ED officials, where around 1,000 people assaulted them when they went to search his premises in Sarberia village on January 5 in connection with a ration distribution scam case.

Calcutta High Court's directive has led to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the assault case, in which Sheikh has been accused of orchestrating the mob attack on the ED officials.