Bengal: ED preparing to take legal action against attack on its officers

Kolkata, Jan 5 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will not to take the attack on its officers at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Friday by local goons allegedly attached to the ruling Trinamool Congress lightly. 

The central agency authorities, sources said, have initiated the process of taking all possible legal actions against the attack, which left a few a ED officers injured, including one critically. 

The incident took place on Friday morning when an ED team escorted by CAPF personnel went to raid the residence of local Trinamool heavyweight Sajahan Sheikh in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution case.

Sources said that currently the ED is in the process of collecting all the evidence relating to the attack, including the video clippings of the incident.

The ED, sources said, is consulting its legal brains on the next course of action to be adopted in the matter. 

The ED has also decided to lodge complaints with the appropriate fora detailing the kind of hindrances and non-cooperation the agency is facing from the locals and the state administration.

On Friday morning, the ED team had to backtrack from the spot as the number of attackers outnumbered them. 

Since the attackers had kept the women protesters in the forefront, the CAPF personnel were compelled to refrain from adopting any forceful counter-retaliation measures.

There are also allegations that the local police were very late in reaching spot.

--IANS

src/arm