Former West Bengal Deputy Speaker found dead, suicide note denies graft

Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Ashis Banerjee was found hanging at a party office in Rampurhat, Birbhum, on Sunday morning. Police recovered a purported suicide note from the office, which is yet to be independently verified. The body has been sent for post-mortem.

In the note, written in Bengali, Banerjee denied any involvement in corruption, particularly regarding the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), where he said he had no role in tenders, cheques or approvals. He reportedly expressed regret over joining politics and advised his family not to enter the field. The New Indian Express reports the note states: "I was never involved in corruption. It was a blunder to join politics." National Herald adds that the note claimed no one was responsible for his death and alleged attempts to malign him.

Banerjee, a five-time MLA from Rampurhat from 2001 to 2026, served as a minister and deputy speaker. He lost the seat to the BJP's Dhruba Saha by over 24,000 votes in the 2026 Assembly election. His death follows a change of government in West Bengal and corruption probes into several former TMC leaders. Police are investigating the circumstances.