Kolkata, March 6 (IANS): A division bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Wednesday, admitted the Enforcement Directorate's petition to fast-track the hearing in the case of immediate handover of Sheikh Shahjahan, the accused mastermind of the January 5 attack on the ED and CAPF sleuths in Sandeshkhali, to the CBI from CID-West Bengal.

While moving the plea at the division bench presided by Justice Harish Tandon, the ED counsel, Dhiraj Trivedi argued that despite a clear order on Tuesday morning by the division bench of the Chief Justice Sivagnanam for handover of Shahjahan to CBI, the sleuths of CID-West Bengal refused to do so.

“Each day is wasted unnecessarily. The matter is very serious,” the ED counsel argued. He also argued that the refusal to handover Shahjahan to CBI amounted to contempt of court.

Thereafter Justice Tandon directed Trivedi to immediately file the matter and also gave his contest for the fast-track basis hearing in the matter.

On Tuesday armed with the Calcutta High Court order, three officials of the CBI, accompanied by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel, arrived at the CID headquarters at the Bhabani Bhavan here at 4.40 p.m. for the official hand over of Shahjahan and all case-related documents

However, after over two hours of discussions, the CBI officials left Bhabani Bhavan at 7.05 p.m. without Sheikh Shahjahan.

Sources said since the state government has already moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court order to hand over Shahjahan to the CBI, the CID authorities refused to comply.