Balurghat, April 9: The block development officer (BDO) of Balurghat has filed an FIR and ordered the arrest of a gram panchayat pradhan, her deputy and three other members for issuing cheques under the Indira Awas Yojana to 56 people, all living above the poverty line.

Pijush Kanti Das, the BDO, said the pradhan of the Jalghar gram panchayat was Manju Ghosh of the BJP and her deputy was Sushil Mondol of the Trinamul Congress. “The duo have forced the secretary of the gram panchayat, Satyajit Mitra, to sign and issue the cheques last night to 56 people illegally. I have asked the UCO Bank to stop payment,” he said.

Das said cheques under the central scheme were usually either worth Rs 25,000 or half the amount. “We have found that 36 cheques each worth Rs 25,000 and 20 cheques bearing an amount of Rs 12,500 each had been disbursed illegally,” the BDO said. The total amount was Rs 11.5 lakh.

The scheme that entails construction of house and renovation is exclusively for people below the poverty line (BPL).

“Last Monday the pradhan ignored the list of BPL people prepared by the panchayat executive assistant, Satya Sarkar, and instead told him to sign the cheques for people of her own choice, which he refused,” Das said.

The cheques drawn under any poverty-alleviation scheme by the panchayats are signed by the pradhan and the executive assistant, the BDO explained.

However, the pradhan and her associates did not give up. “Yesterday, the pradhan and the other accused confined the panchayat secretary in his office throughout the day and ultimately got him to sign on the cheques around midnight,” Das alleged.

The panchayat executive assistant and the secretary reported the incident to the BDO, who began an investigation. “When I came to know that 56 cheques had been issued, I immediately instructed the bank to stop payment. I also lodged an FIR with the Balurghat police station against the five,” Das said.

The attempt to siphon off money before the panchayat polls has sent ripples in the political circles here.

The BJP pradhan in question, Manju Ghosh, said she had done nothing wrong.

“The ruling party cannot tolerate the fact that I am in power despite being in their opposition and, therefore, has launched a conspiracy against me,” Ghosh said.

The police, however, are yet to arrest either Ghosh or Mondol and the three panchayat members.