‘I’m Not Corrupt’: Former Bengal Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee Found Hanging at TMC Office, Note Recovered

Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee was found hanging inside a party office in Birbhum district on Sunday morning.

The veteran TMC leader was a former minister and five-time MLA from Rampurhat, representing the constituency for 25 years from 2001 to 2026. He lost the seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Banerjee’s body was recovered from a TMC office located next to his residence in Rampurhat. The incident came a day after he attended a local Independence Day programme and hoisted the Tricolour.

A purported suicide note was also recovered from the spot. In the letter, Banerjee denied allegations of corruption and maintained that he had never been involved in wrongdoing during his political career.

He reportedly referred to allegations concerning the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), where he had served as chairman. Banerjee claimed he had no involvement in tender decisions, cheque issuance, approval of plans or issuance of no-objection certificates.

The former MLA also alleged that attempts had been made to malign and humiliate him. He reportedly wrote that he felt entering politics had been a mistake and expressed regret over his inability to always speak out against alleged wrongdoing within the party.

Following his defeat in the 2026 Assembly elections, Banerjee had largely remained away from active politics, according to party sources. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death, while the authenticity and contents of the purported suicide note are yet to be independently established.