'Lavish lifestyle' gets CPI(M) MP Ritabrata Banerjee suspended

Ritabrata Banerjee was seen wearing an Apple watch and had a Montblanc pen

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee was yesterday suspended from the party for three months over his "lavish lifestyle".

"His (Ritabrata) lifestyle is unlike that of a communist. We have received a lot of complaints. He has been suspended for three months," a senior CPI(M) leader said.

A three-member internal inquiry committee has been set up by the party to look into the allegations, details of which were not yet known. The panel will submit its report to the CPI(M) state committee within the next three months, he said.

CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra declined to comment on the development.

Banerjee was not available for comment. This is not the first time that Banerjee has landed himself in trouble. In February, a party member had questioned the use of costly gadgets like Apple watch and Mont Blanc pen by him. Banerjee, using his position as an MP, had reportedly written to the employer of the party member complaining against him.

The CPI(M) state committee had then publicly criticised Banerjee's behaviour and cautioned him.