Kolkata, Feb 21 (IANS): The Basirhat district police on Wednesday registered a second case of rape against Shibu Hazra, a local Trinamool Congress leader arrested from the trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

The fresh case has been registered following a 'secret' statement made by an alleged victim woman from Sandeshkhali before a judicial magistrate at the Basirhat sub-divisional court.

Hazra was arrested by the Basirhat district police on February 17 from a hideout in Sandeshkhali, hours after the police registered cases under charges of rape and attempt to murder against him and another key accused, Uttam Sardar, who was also arrested last week.

Hazra was the Trinamool block president of Sandeshkhali-II block.

Hazra was absconding ever since the women in Sandeshkhali started protesting against local Trinamool leaders, accusing them of sexual harassment and rape. Recently, the protesting women even burnt down the farmhouse and a poultry farm owned by Hazra.

However, Sheikh Shahjahan, the political mentor of Hazra and Sardar who's also the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF personnel last month, is absconding ever since the day of the attack on January 5.

On Tuesday, Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam had expressed anguish over Shahjahan absconding for such a long time, saying that either he has gone beyond the reach of the state police, or he is under some kind of protection.