Accused Sheikh a philanthropist in West Bengal’s Haldia?

KOLKATA: Ansar Sheikh, one of the prime accused in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri violence, owns a luxurious mansion in Haldia, the prime industrial township in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district and has an image of a philanthropist there.

A source in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police, requesting anonymity, told IANS following a communication from the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, the state CID enquired about Ansar’s activities in Haldia. A team of the Delhi Police is likely to come to West Bengal for further investigation.

“From there we came to know that although Ansar is an original resident of Assam, he married into a family which had been living in Haldia for a long time. Soon after his marriage, Ansar built up a mansion and used to frequently come here.

“He also developed the image of a philanthropist in Haldia by donating huge amounts for various socioreligious activities. He was also quite popular among the neighbours as whenever he used to come to Haldia, he used to arrange feasts at his mansion where the neighbours were invited,” the CID source said.

In fact, according to him, when state police enquired about Ansar at Haldia, the local people appeared surprised after coming to know about Ansar’s involvement in the Jahangirpuri violence.

“In Haldia people knew Ansar as a successful trader dealing in the scrap iron business. His longest stay in Haldia at a time was between the middle of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 that is during the Covid-19 pandemic period. However, even after that he used to frequent Haldia,” the CID official said.