The Calcutta High Court on Monday upheld an earlier order directing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2019 murder of three BJP workers in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas.

A division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Prosenjit Biswas dismissed the plea by former Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan challenging the June order of a single bench that had allowed a CBI investigation. The division bench observed that Shahjahan’s petition against the probe was not admissible.

In June this year, Justice Joy Sengupta had directed the CBI to investigate the case, with the probe to be led by the agency’s Joint Director and monitored by the lower court.

Shahjahan, named as a prime accused in the original complaint but later dropped from the charge sheet, had appealed to the division bench against the single bench’s order.

The murders date back to June 2019, when BJP workers Pradeep Mondal, Devdas Mondal, and Sukanta Mondal were killed and their bodies allegedly mutilated. FIRs were filed by family members Supriya Mondal and Padma Mondal.

The case was initially being probed by the CID. However, in January last year, the families, supported by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, approached the High Court seeking a CBI probe, alleging key lapses and deliberate omissions in the CID investigation, including the alleged removal of Shahjahan’s name from the charge sheets.

Shahjahan was arrested on January 5 last year after his associates allegedly attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his Sandeshkhali residence. He remains in jail custody, and his bail plea is presently being heard before the Calcutta High Court.

Over the past year, Shahjahan has faced multiple allegations from “forcibly occupying” agricultural land and converting it to fish ponds to allegedly harassing women in the area. These sparked widespread protests by residents, especially women, and led to political backlash with opposition parties, including the BJP, taking to the streets.