Sandeshkhali Woman Forced To Make False Rape Accusation? What We Know

In a shocking new development in the Sandeshkhali sexual assault case, a woman has alleged that she and some others were forced to sign a blank sheet of paper, which was later used to falsely accuse local Trinamool Congress leaders of rape. According to a report in the Times of India, people linked to the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party forced them to file fake complaints of rape at the behest of the National Women's Commission. The woman alleged that many women wanted to complain about not receiving money as part of the 100-day MGNREGA job scheme, but they were told to sign a blank paper.

The woman reportedly filed a fresh complaint against alleged threats and social ostracism after she withdrew the rape case against TMC workers. “Nothing such as rape happened to us. We are not involved in those things. We are poor people and we work hard to earn a living," she alleged.

Woman Alleges She Was Forced To Accuse Rape 

The woman alleged that two persons from the NCW, Mampi Das and Piyali Das, forcefully made her and her mother-in-law sign a blank sheet which they used to falsely accuse TMC leaders of rape. "Mampi trapped us by getting us to sign on a white paper. We want her to be punished and want to be relieved of this issue," the woman told the media.

On May 8, the woman and her mother-in-law reportedly recorded their statement before the magistrate. "We don't want to be associated with any false complaints... nobody is even talking to us in our neighbourhood. When I asked them to rescind the false complaint, I was chased away," she said, according to an India Today report.

This development comes amid the ongoing political clash between the BJP and TMC in West Bengal. The Sandeshkhal case, which started in January 2024, rocked the nation several women held massive protests against Trinamool strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides, accusing them of land grab and sexual harassment.

TMC Leader Sheikh Shahjahan Arrested

Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on February 29 and suspended for six years after he confessed to inciting a mob attack on an Enforcement Directorate team in January. The Zilla Parishad functionary had been on the run for 55 days and arrested from a hideout in Minakhah, North 24 Parganas, police told the Press Trust of India.

Shahjahan is also the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali alleged sexual assault and land-grabbing case, causing violent protests since February 15 demanding his arrest. TMC MP Derek O'Brien told the media that Shahjahan has been suspended for six years, given the Sandeshkhali case.

The 53-year-old accused was sent to 10-day police custody at the Basirhat court where he admitted to his role in the attack on the probe agency officials who were raiding his premises in a ration scam case on January 5. He was produced at the CID headquarters in Kolkata.

Sandeshkhali Protests

While police were on the lookout for Shahjahan following the ED attack, massive riots broke out in Sandeshkhali, a village located in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, as protestors, mostly women, demanded the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan. They accused him of sexual assault, land grabbing, and unwarranted arrests of the men in their families.

The Sandeshkhali riots escalated as a political blame game unfolded between TMC and the Opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court of India heard pleas for the formation of a Special Investigation Team or Central Bureau of Investigation team to probe the protestors' accusations.

Meanwhile, the National Women's Commission sent its fact-finding team to hear the Sandeshkhali women's woes. "Disturbing testimonies gathered from women in the village painted a harrowing picture of widespread fear and systematic abuse," the team told the media. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured that more than 17 arrests have been made in the case and they are probing the matter. These include Shahjahan's close aides and fellow accused, Uttam Sardar and Shiba Prasad Hazra. On February 19, a Bengali journalist was reportedly arrested for questioning TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee about the Sandeshkhali situation.

Why has WB police arrested Republic Bangla’s Santu Pan? Is it just about his reportage on #Sandeshkhali or uncomfortable line of questioning, the last time Abhishek Banerjee was interrogated by ED?
The message is clear - doormat journalists will be send to RS. Those doing their… https://t.co/eOVjseZFsc pic.twitter.com/AHtCsSSQfD

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 19, 2024

Court Order To Arrest Shahjahan

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose had asked the State government to file a report within 72 hours detailing the atrocities involving Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali, an unnamed official told PTI. "In the light of the decision of the Calcutta High Court, the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents, Shahjahan Sheikh, may be arrested immediately, failing which reasons for the same may be reported within 72 hours," Bose wrote.

The Calcutta High Court was told that 43 FIRs were registered till December last year, of which 42 had resulted in charge sheets. "As far as grabbing land of tribal community members, seven cases were started," the court was told, "Since February 8, 24 cases of land grabbing and various sections were filed... Obviously, he (Shahjahan) must be arrested" the Court observed. 

On February 26, the High Court directed that Shajahan, the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Superintendent of Police, and the State's Home Secretary representing the West Bengal government be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities on women and the land grab of tribal people.