Kolkata, March 26 (IANS): Sheikh Shahjahan had anticipated raids at his Sandeshkhali residence in connection with the PDS case and had planned the attack on ED and CAPF personnel in advance, as per the findings of CBI sleuths probing the case.

Sources said that the CBI has accessed some circumstantial evidence that proves that accessories for the January 5 assault were kept ready around the suspended Trinamool Congress leader’s residence, so that they were easily accessible to the crowd gathered there.

The first evidence is the video footage accessed by the CBI where at a roadside meeting Shahjahan was seen telling his associates that the time had come to teach the central agencies a lesson.

The second circumstantial evidence was unnecessary piling up of thousands of bricks around Shahjahan’s residence.

Investigations have revealed that specimens of those bricks matched those used to smash the glasses of the ED’s vehicles and injure the central agency’s men.

Finally, on the basis of examination of the trademark inscribed on the specimens, the CBI learnt that the bricks were manufactured at the brick kiln owned by Shahjahan.

Sources said that probably in December last year, when the ED first issued a notice to Shahjahan, he realised that this might be followed by raids at his residence.

Hence, instead of honouring that notice he started planning for an attack in case of a search operation at his residence.

Apart from this, sources said, the interrogation of those currently in CBI custody is also leading the central agency towards crucial clues regarding the January 5 attack being pre-planned.