Newsmaker | TMC MP who spoke up on Kolkata rape-murder case, got police notice: Who is Sukhendu Sekhar Ray?

Ray also called for the investigation of RG Kar’s former principal Sandeep Ghosh, who was moved out and given charge of the Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital in the aftermath of the incident, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. This not only revealed the divisions in the ruling TMC but also resulted in a notice from the Kolkata Police hours after the August 18 post for “spreading rumours”.

“CBI must act fairly. Custodial interrogation of Ex Principal and Police Commissioner is a must to know who and why floated suicide story. Why wall of hall demolished … Why sniffer dog used after 3 days. 100s of such questions. Make them speak,” he wrote on X.

Ray drew criticism from party colleague Kunal Ghosh who called his demand illogical, but the MP refused to backtrack on his statements. Responding to a comment on his post, the TMC MP said, “Please need not worry about my fate. Blood of a freedom fighter flows in my veins. I’m least bothered.”

On Sunday, he shared a clip from a song written by Rabindranath Tagore, Ami bhoy korbo na (I shall not be afraid), and posted on X about a protest by football fans from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. “I appeal to all football and sports lovers to protest unitedly against the arbitrary arrests of supporters of Mohunbagan and East Bengal in a peaceful and democratic manner. Jai Mohunbagan! Jai East Bengal!” Ray wrote. On Monday, he moved the Calcutta High Court against the police notice to him.

In an about-turn, Ray’s lawyers told the High Court on Tuesday that he had agreed to delete the message on X seeking the custodial interrogation of Ghosh and Goyal, and the state’s counsel said they would not take any action against him in connection with the issue.

Ray was born in 1949 in Malda’s English Bazar area. His father Shibendu Sekhar Ray was a renowned Hindu Mahasabha leader in Malda and played a key role around the time of Partition in uniting the people of Malda to push for the district to remain with the Union of India.

Ray, who graduated in law from Calcutta University, began his political career with the Congress in 1968 and was close to former President Pranab Mukherjee. He even edited a book on Mukherjee, titled Pranab Mukherjee: The All Season Man, and wrote a book on Congress’s first president W C Bonnerjee.

Ray followed Mamata Banerjee to the TMC, which was formed on January 1, 1998. He served as the vice president of the Calcutta High Court Bar Association between 2009 and 2011. After Banerjee came to power in 2011, ending more than three decades of Left rule, Ray was sent to the Rajya Sabha and since then he has served three consecutive terms in the Upper House, where he has served as the party’s deputy leader and chief whip.

In 2022, following the suspension of Partha Chatterjee in the alleged school recruitment scam, Ray was appointed the editor of TMC’s mouthpiece Jago Bangla.

In his four terms as Rajya Sabha MP, the TMC leader has an aggregate attendance of 81% and has participated in 324 debates. He has also introduced four Private Member Bills in the House but none of them was passed. Ray has asked 267 questions till now in his parliamentary tenure.