Bengal’s ex-chief secy Alapan Bandyopadhyay gets death threat, police say probe on

Bandyopadhyay received death threat through a letter that was sent to his wife. A senior official says the former Bengal chief secretary has informed the state govt about the letter.

Former West Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay | ANI

Kolkata: Alapan Bandyopadhyay, the principal adviser to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has received a death threat through a letter that was sent to his wife.

The letter addressed to his wife Sonali Chakraborty, the vice chancellor of Calcutta University, reads: “Your husband will be killed. Nobody can save the life of your husband.” The Print has a copy of the letter.

A complaint has been registered with the Kolkata Police and an investigation has begun.

“The government will enhance his security cover. His family will also get security. We are keeping a close tab on such developments. The letter was written before his scheduled date for appearance before the CAT bench in Kolkata. We are not in a position now to rule out anything. We are investing into every link, the documents and other developments, which have been unfolding since the central inquiry was initiated,” said a senior government official.

Bandyopadhyay has now informed the state government about the ‘intimidating and distressing’ letter, the official added.

Fake name and address

The letter dated 10 October was sent through speed post to Chakraborty’s office. It was received by her on 26 October. The letter mentions the sender’s name and address as Gourhari Mishra, C/O Dr Mahua Ghosh, Department of Chemical Technology, Rajabazar Science College. The letter has been copied to the science secretary of the college.

The police, however, said the sender’s name and address are fake.

“The name and address turned out to be fake as expected. But we are probing into it, the truth will be out soon,” said a senior police official.

Bandyopadhyay, West Bengal’s former chief secretary, was embroiled in a tussle between the Modi government and Mamata Banerjee government in May. The central government initiated action against him after he wasn’t present to receive PM Modi at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Midnapore.

He had moved CAT on 8 October, questioning the jurisdiction of the Government of India in initiating the disciplinary action against him. His ​case was scheduled to be heard by the CAT Kolkata bench on 24 October, but the case was transferred to Delhi instead.