Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths have been able to make some document recoveries from the residence of the absconding Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan's residence at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district where they conducted raid and search operations on Wednesday.

Sources said during the course of the raid and search operations the ED sleuths recovered some bills related to the purchase of valuable jewellery as well as some crucial documents regarding the assets owned by some family members of Shahjahan,

The documents recovered by the ED sleuths included some unregistered property documents, some air travel details.

Besides being an accused in the ration distribution case in West Bengal, Shahjahan is also charged with being the principal mastermind in the attack on ED and CAPF sleuths on January 5.

Sources said that although the residence where the raid and search operations were conducted were reportedly closed since the attack on January 5, the raiding central agency sleuths doubt that there was regular cleaning of the interior of the house during the interim period.

The ED sleuths had to break open not just the lock of the main entrance gate, but also those of several rooms inside as well as some cupboards there. Sources said that the recovery and seizures could have been more impressive had the central agency sleuths been able to complete the previous raid and search operations on January 5.

Shahjahan is perceived to be an extremely close confidante of the current state forest minister and the former state food supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick, who is currently in judicial custody after his arrest by the ED in October last year in connection with the ration distribution case.