Later in the day, forensic experts of the state police examined the vehicles involved in the accident and collected samples from the spot.

Police said they were looking at the possibility of absconding Sandeshkhali violence suspect Abdul Halim Mollah, against whom there's an arrest warrant issued by a court, driving the truck.

Ghosh's elder son, Biswajit, claimed that this was a planned attempt to murder his father, and alleged that Shahjahan pulled strings sitting in jail to carry out the crime.

"Our family has been subjected to sustained threats and harassment by Shahjahan and his followers ever since my father began cooperating with the CBI.

Two of Shahjahan's close aides, Trinamool Nazat panchayat samiti chief Sabita Roy and her deputy, Moslem Sheikh, orchestrated this attack upon instructions of their boss," Biswajit alleged.

Both Roy and Sheikh denied the charges.

"This accident is most unfortunate. I have known the family for long and have remained in touch with them ever since I came to know of it. I welcome a fair probe into the accident and let the truth be revealed," Roy said.

"The allegation is ridiculous. I know this family very well, and we work for the same party. It seems a political conspiracy is being hatched against me. I am 66 years old and I have never practised violence in politics," Moslem maintained.

Ghosh's family lodged a complaint at the Nazat Police Station.

Shahjahan was arrested by police on February 29, 2024 after remaining a fugitive for 55 days following the attack on ED officials by his supporters when the agency reached his doorstep on January 5 to question the TMC leader regarding the under-probe multi-crore ration scam.

Large-scale allegations of forceful land acquisition and sexual assault on local women against Shahjahan and his followers in Sandeshkhali soon began to surface, leading to a major political dust-up ahead of the general elections that year.

The accident drew criticism from the opposition BJP.

"Reports indicate that the truck was driven by Abdul Halim Mollah - one of Shahajahan's closest aides - along with his associate Nazrul Mollah. Abdul has long been listed as a fugitive in the CBI's records. It is therefore evident that this was no accident but a cold, calculated act of murder," wrote Union minister Sukanta Majumdar on X.

BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya claimed it was obvious that Shahjahan was eliminating witnesses one by one while sitting in jail.

"Is there any room for doubt that he has Mamata Banerjee's patronage?” Malviya asked on the social media platform.

West Bengal's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said the accident gave the central probe agencies enough reasons to shift the Shahjahan cases out of the state.

"As long as people like Shahjahan Sheikh are lodged in a jail in West Bengal, people like Bholanath Ghosh will never remain safe. Today, his son was killed. Tomorrow, they won't miss him. These are notorious criminals who continue to receive the patronage of TMC," he said.

"I keep receiving information from senior prison officials that such people regularly have access to mobile phones and conduct business from jail, and that these officials are powerless to stop this. The CBI must move the Supreme Court to shift this case to any state outside Bengal," the BJP leader said, adding the CBI has already "moved the apex court, praying for transfer of 18 post-poll violence cases outside the state."