The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department on Wednesday evening took over the inquiry against Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney who had announced a Rs 11-lakh bounty for beheading Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The agency was handed over the case after a Trinamool Congress leader filed a second police complaint in Bolpur, reported ANI.

Varshney’s arrest is on the cards with the CID planning to send a team to Aligarh on Thursday, according to NDTV. The first police complaint was lodged by the Aligarh district TMC President Ramphool Upadhyaya in Lucknow. Meanwhile, Varshney has apologised for his statement and withdrawn the bounty. He said he made the statement in a fit of rage.

While political leaders from every party condemned the incident and demanded strict action against Varshney, the Shahi Imam of Kolkata’s Tipu Sultan mosque went a step ahead. Maulana Nurur Barkati on Wednesday announced a counter bounty of Rs 22 lakh on the BJP leader. “Mamata is like my younger sister,” he told India Today. “If they say Rs 11 lakh then let me announce Rs 22 lakh in return, if anyone can bring me his head. I condemn such comments. How dare they speak like this.”

The BJP, on the other hand, has distanced itself from Varshney’s comments. When the TMC brought up the matter in Parliament, the BJP said the West Bengal administration was “free to take legal action” against Varshney.

Varshney had made the statement on Tuesday while criticising action taken by the Suri Police in the state’s Birbhum district during a Hanuman Jayanti rally on April 9. “When I saw the video [of the police action], I only had one thought...that if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjee’s head, I will give them 11 lakh,” Varshney is seen saying in a clip.

He went on to describe Banerjee as a demon and alleged that the police had brutally beaten up participants at the rally, who he said were devotees of Ram and not members of any political party. The Suri Police had not granted the organisers permission to hold the procession. At least 10 people were arrested after the incident.