Abdus Sattar and Rabin Deb

A day after Rizwanur Rahman’s family alleged that some Left Front leaders had approached them to accept money and hush up the case, names of two prominent CPM leaders — minority affairs minister Abdus Sattar and former MLA Rabin Deb — were dragged into the controversy.

Without naming any leader, Shahidul Rahman, Rizwanur’s uncle, brought the charges on Wednesday. Rukbanur, Rizwanur’s brother, cleared the confusion on Thursday.

“I spoke to my uncle and he told me that people who had come along with Deb and Sattar had offered money. They did not want us to raise a hue and cry over the death,” Rukbanur told Metro.

Shahidul, who lives a few metres away from the Rahman home at 7B Tiljala Lane, could not be contacted.

Both the leaders named by Rukbanur reacted strongly and denied the charges, which have left the party red in the face.

The party and the government are already in a spot because of allegations that some senior police officers had pressured Rizwanur to send his wife back to her parents. Police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee compounded matters by backing his men and announcing that Rizwanur had committed suicide.

Trying to steer clear of the controversy, Sattar said he went to Rizwanur’s home alone and Deb joined him a few minutes later.

“It was the second time I was meeting the family. The first time I met them was in the party office, when Rukbanur went to meet Biman Bose. If someone from the crowd talks about giving money, we can’t be held responsible. However, given the nature of the charge, I would urge them to come up with proof,” Sattar said.

Deb was, however, much more aggressive and said the charges had a political motive.

“We know Shahidul is Trinamul Congress MLA Javed Khan’s man and so, his statements are politically motivated,” said Deb.

“I went to Rizwanur’s house with our party’s Calcutta district secretariat member Prasad Guha to express solidarity with the family. No party leader has talked about giving them money,” said Deb.

But the Rahman family has stuck to the charges. “Offers of money and other favours to maintain silence started pouring in after my brother’s death and they came from various quarters of the CPM. But we will not yield to pressure from police or any political party,” said Rukbanur.