When Tapas Pal made headlines for all the wrong reasons

Veteran actor and former TMC MP Tapas Pal who died on Tuesday morning, had landed in a number of controversies in last few years since joining politics. Scroll down to have a look at those not so memorable incidents in his life.

In September 2014, Tapas Pal was booked for his controversial threat to rape rival women activists. The TMC MP hit the headlines when some regional channels aired video footage that had the MP threatening members of the opposition with rape and murder during a rally at Choumaha in Bengal’s Nadia district on June 14. However, later Pal said he never used the word ‘rape’. He claimed to have said 'raid' instead.

A day after TMC MP Tapas Pal allegedly threatened to kill CPI(M) workers and have their women raped, his wife Nandini Pal today apologised for her husband's controversial comment and said there was another part of the story.

"I apologise for his comment. Of course there is no question of supporting it. But yes I know there is another part of the story, which provoked him to do that. The entire incident had happened long back, what led to such a thing there is another part of the story," Nandini told the media. "On behalf of him I am saying sorry," added Nandini.

Tapas Pal’s personal life was marred with controversies. He allegedly refused to take care of his mother and was even accused of throwing her out of their ancestral home. His wife Nandini once went public about his alleged illicit relations with a co-star. However, the couple later buried the hatchet settling all things between them.

In late 2013, Pal, along with another actor-turned TMC MP Shatabdi Roy, was seen siding with jailed TMC MP Kunal Ghosh in a rally. There Ghosh was heard speaking against the TMC-led West Bengal government with regard to the Saradha scam. As a result, both Pal and Roy drew the party leadership’s ire and it took the duo only 24 hours to do a volte face.

Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal was arrested in the Rose Valley chit fund scam in December 2016 and was jailed after CBI interrogated him jointly with the party MP Sudip Bandopadhyay. He was arrested for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore Rose Valley chit fund scam. He was taken to Odisha where duped depositors had filed police complaints. He was taken on remand in two phases by the CBI from December 31. However, he was released on bail on February 2, 2018.