Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the alleged murder of two BJP activists and the disappearance of another party worker from Sandeshkhali in South 24-Parganas after the 2019 Lok Sabha poll results were declared.

Sheikh Shahjahan, who is now in jail after the attack on a team of Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5 last year, was the key accused in all the three cases.

Shahjahan was the undisputed leader of the Trinamool Congress at Sandeshkhali. The TMC suspended him following his arrest.

"The investigating agency will constitute a SIT led by an officer not below the rank of deputy director and investigate the cases," Justice Jay Sengupta said in his Monday's order.

The court asked the CBI to submit a progress report after six weeks.

According to the case histories, on June 8, 2019, after the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results, several houses belonging to BJP activists were attacked across Sandeshkhali allegedly under the leadership of Shahjahan. Several incidents of clashes between Trinamul and BJP workers were reported.

In a clash between two parties at Bhangipara under the jurisdiction of Nayjat police station in Sandeshkhali, two BJP workers — Pradip Mondal and Sukanta Mondal — were allegedly shot dead. Another BJP activist Devdas Mondal went missing.

A Trinamool supporter, Abdul Kayum Molla, also died in the incident.

On the same day, relatives of Pradip, Sukanta and Devdas lodged complaints with the Nayjat police station, accusing Shahjahan of masterminding the attacks.

The CID was entrusted with conducting a probe into the incidents. "But Shahjahan's name did not figure in the charge sheet submitted by the CID in any of the cases," Pradip's wife said.

Since various charges of financial corruption were lodged at various police stations against Shahjahan, the ED started an investigation against him and went to conduct a raid on his residence in Sandeshkhali on January 5 last year. But TMC supporters attacked the ED officials, who were then forced to leave the spot. Later, Shahjahan was arrested.

After Shahjahan was arrested, the leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, brought the family members of the three BJP workers to Calcutta High Court. The family members moved writ petitions seeking a fresh probe by the CBI into the cases of murders and the disappearance.

"Hearing of the writ had ended months ago and the judge delivered his verdict today (on Monday)," a senior court officer said.