Rampurhat/Kolkata: Former minister Ashis Banerjee’s death by suicide was painful but state govt’s crackdown on corruption would continue, CM Suvendu Adhikari said after visiting the former Trinamool neta’s home in Birbhum’s Rampurhat on Saturday.Elaborating on the crackdown against corruption in Birbhum, Adhikari said Rs 220 crore had been recovered from an individual and 252 vehicles seized by district police. “If the state or district police want, they can do everything. There is no need for ED, CBI, CID or STF. The Birbhum district police have proved this,” the CM said after chairing an administrative meeting at Rampurhat.Adhikari alleged that thousands of crores of rupees had been siphoned in the past. While only Rs 82 crore in revenue had been collected from stone mines the whole of last year, Bengal govt collected Rs 255 crore in revenue just in the past three months, he claimed.Rejecting opposition’s allegations of “false cases”, Adhikari said there would be no scope for filing fabricated cases but those involved in theft will not be spared. The investigation into alleged corruption in Tarapith-Rampurhat Development Authority will also continue, he added.Adhikari offered his condolences to Banerjee’s family and assured them support, asking them to contact him for any assistance. After meeting the family, the CM said they had not alleged any harassment by police or the administration.“The family told me that neither the administration nor anyone from BJP had harassed Ashis Banerjee. They themselves do not know the reason. They have great confidence in state govt. Dhruva Saha, who had defeated him, was the first to visit and pay his respects. BJP workers here are civil and decent, and they respected Ashis Banerjee greatly. His elder brother, wife and son have all said they have no complaints against police or the administration. The rest is being investigated by police,” Adhikari said.
