TMC Leader Asish Banerjee Found Hanging at Party Office, Suicide Note Says ‘I’m Not Corrupt’

Trinamool Congress leader and former West Bengal Assembly Deputy Speaker Asish Banerjee was found hanging at a party office in Birbhum’s Rampurhat on Sunday morning, triggering shock among party workers and local residents.

The former minister was a five-time MLA from Rampurhat and had represented the constituency continuously for 25 years, from 2001 to 2026. He was defeated by BJP’s Dhruba Saha in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Banerjee’s body was found at a TMC office adjacent to his residence. The discovery came a day after he attended a local Independence Day programme and hoisted the Tricolour. A purported suicide note was recovered from the spot. In the note, Banerjee reportedly strongly denied allegations of corruption and said he had never been involved in wrongdoing during his political career.

He also reportedly addressed allegations related to the Tarapith Rampurhat Development Authority (TRDA), which he had headed as chairman. Banerjee claimed he had no involvement in tender decisions, cheque issuance, plan approvals or no-objection certificates.

The veteran leader further alleged that attempts had been made to malign and humiliate him. He reportedly wrote that entering politics had been a mistake and expressed frustration over his inability to always speak out against alleged wrongdoing within the party.

Banerjee had largely stayed away from active politics after losing the Rampurhat seat in the 2026 polls, according to party sources. Police are investigating the circumstances of his death, while the purported suicide note is also being examined.