BJP leader Rahul Sinha blames Mamata Banerjee for Tapas Paul's death

BJP leader Rahul Sinha on Wednesday blamed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the death of Bengali actor and former TMC MP Tapas Paul. Earlier, the Chief Minister had blamed the Centre for his death. Paul died on Tuesday following a cardiac arrest.

According to Sinha, Banerjee did not meet Tapas Paul, who was in a hospital in Bhubaneswar where she also went to see Sudeep Banerjee. This led to a deterioration in his health and he died. "It is not right to do politics on someone's death," he said.  

Speaking to the news agency, ANI, he questioned, "Will agencies not investigate when TMC people are looting public money? Does Mamata keep a track of those people who suffered a heart attack due to investigation? Many people who lost their money in Saradha died. Those people who looted money will be sent to jail."

Mamata Banerjee blames Centre

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that "pressure" created by central agencies and "vendetta politics" led to the death of Trinamool Congress leader and actor Tapas Paul.

Read: Veteran Bengali actor and former TMC MP Tapas Paul passes away in Mumbai

The TMC leader was an accused in the Rose Valley chit fund scam case and was in jail for over a year. Banerjee, while paying homage to Paul, also alleged that another TMC leader Sultan Ahmed had also died of cardiac arrest as he was under stress after being named an accused in the Narada tapes scandal of 2017.

Speaking to the media, she had said, "Tapas Paul was under tremendous pressure from central agencies and was a victim of the Centre's vendetta politics." 

Read: BJP's Roopa Ganguly slams Mamata for blaming Centre post Tapas Paul's demise

Tapas Paul passes away

The veteran Bengal actor passed away at the age of 61 in a Mumbai-based private hospital on Tuesday, February 18. Tapas, who was born on September 29, 1958, had started his career as an actor in the movie 'Dadar Kirti' in 1980. Later, he was awarded the Filmfare Award for his role in the movie 'Saheb' in 1981. He made his debut in Bollywood in 1984. 

Paul is survived by his wife and daughter. 

Read: Tapas Paul passes away; survived by wife, daughter; family grieves

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(with inputs from ANI)