Kolkata, July 16 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on a Thursday said that Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will have to prove that the Hemtabad Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA's death is a "political murder".
"The Governor is acting like a BJP spokesperson. He said that it was a murder. Though prima facie the investigation suggests that it is a case of suicide. Now he should prove that BJP MLA Debendra Nath Ray was murdered due to political rivalry," Banerjee said.
She reminded that the state government has already ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the matter.
"The investigation has not started yet. So, I will not say it is a case of murder till I receive the detailed investigation report. But how come the Governor comments on such a grave matter so easily? It is dangerous," she added.
The BJP MLA from North Dinajpur was found hanging near his home on Monday morning. The next day police nabbed a person in connection with the probe.
State Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay on Tuesday said prima facie Ray's death appeared to be a case of suicide.
Addressing a press meet at the state secretariat Nabanno, Bandopadhyay said the state government would take the probe in the matter to its logical end. He had said the post mortem examination suggested the death was due to effects of hanging as noted above and ante-mortem in nature. There was no other injury detected on his body.
Ray had joined the BJP in 2019. Prior to that, he was elected on a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) ticket in 2016. The family members of the deceased BJP lawmaker had alleged that Ray was murdered for his political affiliation and demanded a thorough probe into the matter.
( With inputs from IANS )