Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who had moved Calcutta High Court on Monday seeking anticipatory bail, removed his X post that had demanded custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal by the CBI, and stood down from the confrontation with the party’s supreme leadership.

Ray’s lawyer told the high court that the Rajya Sabha member had agreed to accept the state government’s proposal that if he deleted the post, he would not face any coercive measures.

The 75-year-old three-term member of the Upper House, who had till Monday night remained defiant, was unreachable on his cellphone since the court development on Tuesday. Ray is also the editor of Trinamool’s Bengali daily mouthpiece Jago Bangla.

In the high court, Ray had challenged the notice issued to him by Kolkata Police on Sunday, asking him twice to appear at Lalbazar for questioning.

In his post at 12.19am on Sunday, Ray had written (in the now-removed post) on X: “CBI must act fairly. Custodial interrogation of Ex Principal (Sandip Ghosh) and Police Commissioner (Goyal) is a must to know who and why floated suicide story.”

“Why wall of hall demolished, who patronised (accused Sanjay) Roy to be so powerful, why sniffer dog used after 3 days. 100s of such questions. Make them speak,” he had added.

In conversations with this newspaper on Sunday and Monday, Ray had remained defiant, defending the post and dismissing the idea of standing down, despite the strong likelihood of unpleasant ramifications.

Trinamool insiders had said chief minister Mamata Banerjee was “very annoyed” with the post. Ray’s post and the defiance thereafter were lauded by the BJP and the CPM, as it helped intensify their demand for Mamata’s resignation.

When the petition came up for hearing before Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on Tuesday, Amitesh Bannerjee, the counsel appearing for the state, said: “Since Ray had made some remarks on the issue, police want to know from him what information about the matter he has in possession.”

He added that the police would not give effect to the notice if the MP was ready to withdraw the post.

Justice Bharadwaj then wanted to know from Ray’s counsel Abhishek Haldar, whether his client was ready to withdraw it. Haldar then spoke to Ray over the phone and subsequently informed the judge that the MP would withdraw the post.

Sources in the ruling dispensation said what had forced Ray to delete the post was the “irrefutable factual inaccuracy” of the bit on the inordinate delay in deploying the canine squad — “why sniffer dog used after 3 days” — after the junior doctor’s rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

“He was forced to delete the post. Although the operative part that made headlines was his demand for custodial interrogation by the CBI of commissioner Goyal,” said a Trinamool insider.

“Ultimately, he realised that this burning of bridges with the supreme leadership was going to yield nothing, at this stage of his life and career,” he added.

Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said Ray was a senior leader and the tragedy had triggered a lot of strong emotions in people, including Mamata and Abhishek.

“It had triggered feelings in Sukhendu Sekhar Ray as well. However, he made meaningless and baseless remarks in his post, and hence, the police summoned him on that basis. Why will the police arrest him? I am reiterating that there is no question of his arrest,” said Ghosh.

“Nobody should share misinformation. He deleted it ultimately, then what was the use of sharing misinformation? The people might be aggravated if they see a senior Trinamool leader sharing such false information. If he had to delete the post ultimately, what was the use of all this?” he asked.

Justice Bhardwaj issued an order asking Ray to file an affidavit by Wednesday, saying he had withdrawn the post. He asked the state counsel whether the police would take any coercive measures against the MP in the meantime. Amitesh Banerjee assured the court that the police would not give effect to the notice till at least Wednesday when the case would come up for hearing again.