Mamata blames BJP at Centre for Tapas Paul's death

The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday blamed the BJP at the Centre for the death of actor-politician Tapas Paul. "I am extremely pained. Let people know the truth," said Mamata. "Three people died due to this pressure by Central government agencies. These include Sultan Ahmed, Prasun Banerjee's wife and now Tapas Paul. If someone violates a law, he must face action. But these people are harassed day after day," added Mamata.

"Tapas Paul was in jail for more than 1 year. He was part of an entertainment channel. But what crime did he commit? This was not the time and age for Tapas Paul to die. He died of pressure," said Mamata while referring to Tapas Paul being arrested by the CBI in December 2016 in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam and later released on bail. Paul died of a heart attack in a Mumbai hospital on Tuesday at the age of 61.

In her allegations, Mamata refers to the late TMC MP Sultan Ahmed who passed away at the age of 64 in September 2017 and TMC MP Prasun Banerjee's wife who passed away before that. Both MPs were accused in the Narada sting operation in 2016 where people resembling TMC leaders were seen accepting bribes. The video was released days before the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal.

At Paul's funeral, the TMC supremo went on to talk about her other close aides like producer and founder of Sree Venkatesh Films Srikant Mohta, who was arrested in January 2019 in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam.