The agency suspects that these nine individuals were allegedly part of the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5 and instigated the crowd to target the team when they went to raid the premises of Sheikh at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, they said.

Addressing a press conference, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the state government’s decision to move the Supreme Court against the high court order reflects its “value system”.

Attack on ED officials in Sandeshkhali to be probed by CBI. The central investigative agency will get the custody of Shahjahan Sheikh too. The TMC government moves the apex court against this decision of the Calcutta High Court.

Stating that the court has “no sympathy” for Sheikh, a division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked him to appear before it on Monday, when a suo motu motion on alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing of tribal people at Sandeshkhali is scheduled to be heard.

The arrest of Shahjahan, too, within 24 hours of the Calcutta High Court giving a free hand to the central investigative agencies — CBI and ED — to arrest the culprit underscores the State’s promptness to not let the BJP take the credit for solving the matter.

The division bench directed that it will be “open to the CBI or the ED also to arrest” the absconding Sheikh, noting that he has been on the run for a substantial period.

The TMC leader’s assertion comes immediately after the Calcutta High Court clarified that there is no stay on the arrest of Shahjahan.

Bharatiya Janata Party sources said Modi will be in Arambag and Krishnanagar on March 1 and 2 respectively on an official tour. The prime minister will also address public meetings, they said.

Rajeev Kumar, who went to Sandeshkhali on Wednesday and stayed there overnight to assess the situation in the troubled areas of North 24 Parganas of West Bengal, assured of strict action against those found involved in torturing women.