Kumar Bahukhandi
Former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Ashis Banerjee with former Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress party office near his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday, August 16, 2026. (Photo: Social Media)
Purported note recovered from the party office; police probe circumstances surrounding veteran TMC leader’s death
Rampurhat: Veteran Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Ashis Banerjee was found dead at a TMC party office in Rampurhat in Birbhum district on Sunday morning, triggering shock in political circles.
Police sources said Banerjee was found hanging inside the party office situated near his residence in Hattala Para. Police reached the spot after receiving information and sent his body for post-mortem examination.
A purported note was also recovered from the premises. Investigators are examining the document along with other evidence to establish the circumstances surrounding his death. At this stage, the contents attributed to the note should be treated cautiously until its authenticity is established.
Purported Note Brings Politics and Reputation Into Focus
According to accounts of the purported note, Banerjee maintained that he had never been involved in corruption or accepted money in exchange for official work. He reportedly also expressed regret over entering politics and advised members of his family to stay away from political life.
The note is also reported to contain references to the Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA). Banerjee purportedly sought to distance himself from decisions involving tenders, cheques, approvals and no-objection certificates and referred to attempts to malign his reputation.
These claims, however, form part of a document whose authenticity and relevance to the death are being examined. Police investigation and the post-mortem findings will be crucial in establishing what happened.
Banerjee had been a prominent political figure in Birbhum for more than two decades. He represented the Rampurhat Assembly constituency continuously from 2001 to 2026, serving five terms as an MLA.
Apart from serving as Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, he had held ministerial responsibilities, including portfolios connected with school education and agriculture, during the Mamata Banerjee government.
His long electoral run ended in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, when BJP candidate Dhruba Saha defeated him in Rampurhat. Official Election Commission results show Saha received 111,920 votes against Banerjee’s 87,687 — a margin of 24,233 votes.
Banerjee, who had also worked as a teacher before establishing himself in politics, was reportedly less politically active following the electoral defeat.
His death comes at a time of major political change in West Bengal and is likely to draw considerable attention because of his long association with the TMC and his prominence in Birbhum politics.
For now, however, speculation over the reasons for his death would be premature. The recovery of a purported note provides investigators with an important piece of evidence, but it does not by itself establish the circumstances leading to the death.
Police are examining the case, while the post-mortem report is expected to provide further clarity. Contemporary reports confirm that the body was recovered from the TMC office on Sunday morning and that the purported note is being examined by investigators
