Was political pressure involved? Bengal CM seeks probe into Asish Banerjee death

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a detailed investigation into the death of veteran TMC leader Asish Banerjee, asking police to examine whether he may have faced threats or blackmail before his death.

Asish Banerjee, a five-time MLA from Rampurhat who represented the constituency for 25 consecutive years from 2001, was found dead on Sunday at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum district.

A note recovered from the office reportedly stated that no one was responsible for his death and expressed regret over his decision to enter politics. The note also appeared to address allegations of corruption against him.

Adhikari said the authenticity of the note and its handwriting would be established through forensic examination.

Bengal CM asks police to examine threat angle

Adhikari said he had spoken to the police and the district magistrate about the circumstances surrounding Banerjee's death.

He also spoke to Banerjee's family and asked whether the former MLA had faced harassment. According to Adhikari, the family did not report any such allegations.

However, the Chief Minister said investigators should not rule out the possibility that Banerjee had been threatened or blackmailed.

He specifically asked police to examine whether people associated with alleged corrupt elements within the TMC could have pressured the former MLA.

Adhikari stressed that these possibilities should be investigated rather than assumed to be the cause of death.

Police asked to check phones and messages

Adhikari said Banerjee's family had been asked to hand over his mobile phones to the police chief and Birbhum superintendent of police.

Investigators are expected to examine his call records, messages and other communications to determine whether he had received threats or been subjected to pressure.

The forensic examination of the note is also expected to form part of the investigation.

Banerjee had distanced himself from Mamata faction

Adhikari pointed to Banerjee's recent political activities as another aspect investigators could examine.

According to the Chief Minister, Banerjee had resigned from a committee formed by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the TMC's defeat in the Assembly elections earlier this year.

Adhikari suggested that Banerjee's political distancing could be relevant to understanding the circumstances before his death, but did not establish a connection between the two events.

Adhikari recalls political relationship

Despite being political opponents, Adhikari described Banerjee as an honest and decent leader and said they had maintained cordial relations.

Both were among the relatively small number of TMC MLAs in the 2006 Assembly, according to Adhikari.

He also said Banerjee maintained relationships across political lines, including with BJP workers. Adhikari cited BJP MLA Dhruba Saha, who visited Banerjee after defeating him in an election and sought his blessings.

Adhikari said Banerjee had also contacted him after he became Chief Minister and expressed a desire to meet him at the state secretariat.

No allegation against Banerjee established

Adhikari said there was no reason to attribute wrongdoing to Banerjee himself and stressed his view that the former MLA had maintained a clean record.

He said he did not believe there had ever been an FIR against Banerjee and that his family had told him he had never received a police call.

The Chief Minister also distinguished Banerjee from allegations concerning people associated with him, saying the former MLA should not automatically be held responsible for alleged activities involving others around him.

What the investigation needs to establish

The investigation now has several key questions to examine: the circumstances surrounding Banerjee's death, the authenticity and authorship of the note, his recent communications and whether there is evidence of threats, coercion or blackmail.

The reported note does not by itself establish why Banerjee died or whether anyone else was involved. Similarly, the possibility of threats raised by the Chief Minister remains an investigative angle and has not been established as fact.

Police and forensic findings will therefore be crucial in determining what happened before the former MLA was found dead.