Former deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly Asish Banerjee died Sunday morning around 8 am at a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office close to his household in the Rampurhat area of the Birbhum district, officials said.
Five-time MLA Banerjee was found hanging inside the party office and had held the post of deputy speaker in the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government.
His body was found in the police office and submitted for post mortem examination. An inquiry into his death has continued.
Local reports also claimed that a handwritten note was found near the body. It is believed the note said no one was responsible for his passed life. But the message allegedly in the note has not been independently authenticated.
The note also showed regret over Asish Banerjee’s foray into politics and urged members of his family to not do politics, reports said. It is said to have said that he was not in agreement with some of the actions that his party would take, but he could not say ‘no’ openly.
The fake note also mentioned the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA). Banerjee allegedly said that he has not been involved in any tendering process, cheque approval and building plans at the authority and just attended its general meetings as a matter of ‘formality’ and also had no role whatsoever in giving ‘no objection certificate’.
He also has reportedly claimed that efforts were made attempt to blacklist him and that he didn’t have a single shred of power on the issues to which he was accusing him.
Evidence is being examined including how the body was found and a hand-written note which the police believe to have been recovered. The postmortem is also expected to give more information, as the investigation continues.