A Trinamool Congress worker of Hili in South Dinajpur district, also a contractual employee in a panchayat, has been accused of taking “cut money” from a beneficiary of the state government’s Banglar Bari scheme.

The beneficiary, a woman named Anna Saha, filed a complaint against Surajit Pramanik with Hili police. Police initiated a probe.

Following the complaint, Pramanik refunded the money to Saha. But Saha alleged that Pramanik recently demanded similar “cut money” from other beneficiaries, including some of her relatives.

Sources said Pramanik, a resident of Paschim Aptaier village of Hili panchayat, works as a village resource person.

This year, in the second phase of the Banglar Bari scheme, when the first installment of ₹60,000 each was credited to beneficiary accounts, he allegedly visited several homes of beneficiaries in Purba Aptaier, demanding money in exchange for ensuring funds allocation.

Saha alleged that around six months ago, Pramanik took ₹4,000 from her as bribe during the first phase of Banglat Bari and this time demanded money from her two daughters-in-law who were selected under the second phase of the scheme. “As the first installment of ₹60,000 was credited to their bank accounts, Pramanik demanded ₹10,000 from them. When they objected, he threatened that the funds would be debited from their bank accounts,” said Anna.

Finally, Saha filed a complaint with the police. “We are poor people. My husband is a small vegetable trader. When I filed a police complaint, his father came and handed over ₹4,000 to me,” she said.

The BJP pounced upon this incident to attack the ruling party.

“Trinamool means corruption, Trinamool means cut money. There is nothing new in it. No one knows better than this party how to loot money from the poor. We have voiced our protests and will not let such corruption go on,” said BJP district vice-president Jayanta Pramanik.

Biswajit Das, the head of Trinamool-run Hili panchayat, said Pramanik was a casual staff at the panchayat office but did not hold any formal position in the party.

“After receiving the complaint, he was reprimanded, and later the money was returned. Beneficiaries have repeatedly been warned not to pay money to anyone. More awareness campaigns will be conducted on this issue,” said Das.

Contacted, Pramanik denied the charges.

“These allegations are completely false. I am being deliberately framed,” he said.

Senior police officers said a case was registered and a probe was on.