Raiganj, Dec. 3: The CPI-affiliated north Dinajpur district unit of the All India Youth Federation has accused Ramkrishna Garai, additional executive officer of the zilla parishad, of gross misuse of government funds, to the tune of Rs 10 crore.

The sum, which was allocated for the construction of the roads in the district’s rural areas, was sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Funds scheme.

According the government’s directives, roads were to be built on the outskirts of Raiganj and Islampur towns.

Zilla parishad sources said open tenders were invited for the Rs 10-crore project about three months ago.

Despite the fact that the contractors had submitted the tenders on time, the list of persons entrusted with the project were allegedly not published for a long time. Even as the administration was sitting on the list, “classified information” was leaked about Garai’s favouritism to four contractors, who allegedly bagged the lucrative contracts out of turn.

The matter came to a head when the list was sent to the sabhadhipati for his ratification on November 14.

Roy, who allegedly took note of the irregularities and nepotism charges, refused to give his assent and returned the list to Garai.

“The additional executive officer has been indulging in rampant corruption. Unless the corrupt official is transferred elsewhere, we will start an agitation,” said Milan Chowdhury, district secretary of the party. Garai, however, refuted these allegations, adding that according to the government’s directives, any work order worth less than Rs 1 crore should be given to only one contractor. North Dinajpur zilla sabhadhipati Nanigopal Roy scoffed at these “baseless charges”, adding that the contractors were given orders only on the basis of the eligibility criteria.