The headmistress of a state-aided primary school in Malda was arrested from Enayetpur, an area within the Manikchak police station limits, on Sunday night for allegedly forging the signature and seal of a sub-inspector of schools (primary education).
On November 14, 2024, the concerned official filed a police complaint, alleging the crime. However, it took police around 10 months to nab Sultana Khatun, the accused. Meanwhile, she continued at the school.
A police source stated that Khatun had applied for a personal loan from a nationalised bank. This required the signature and the seal of the SI overseeing the school.
In due course, bank officials called Sanchita Mandal, the concerned SI, to verify the headmistress’s loan application.
Surprised, Mandal checked the application and asserted that her signature had been forged. She also claimed that the seal was not of her office.
Later, she lodged a police complaint against Khatun. Following this, the police initiated an enquiry.
“We had sent the matter to the concerned wing of the CID for their observation about the forged signature and the seal. After the report affirmed that those were forged, we arrested Khatun from her residence,” said a police officer.
On Monday, the headmistress was produced in a local court. The court heard the case and ordered her to judicial custody till September 26, a source said.
Mandal, who accused Khatun of counterfeiting her signature and seal, refrained from commenting on the issue.
Basanti Burman, the chairperson of the district primary school council (DPSC), said she had no information about the arrest.
“I will try to find out about it from officials of my department,” she said.