The Nadia district administration has identified 173 male beneficiaries in Krishnanagar-II block allegedly receiving financial assistance under the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government's flagship scheme exclusively meant for women, Lakshmir Bhandar.

The finding comes amid a statewide scrutiny of welfare scheme databases after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari raised concerns about ineligible beneficiaries, including men, children and infiltrators, of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Following his intervention, district administrations across Bengal launched verification drives, leading to several arrests in Murshidabad and Malda.

On May 31, Krishnanagar-II block development officer (BDO) submitted a report to Nadia district magistrate Srikanth Palli, detailing the names of 173 male beneficiaries, including an employee of Belpukur gram panchayat, and recommending their permanent removal from the Lakshmir Bhandar database.

The BDO's report has accused Bhola Shil, a Trinamool worker in Dhubulia and a computer operator attached to the block's Lakshmir Bhandar cell, of entering the details of the "male beneficiaries" into the online database.

Shil has been showcaused and an administrative probe has been initiated against him. Currently, he is traceless. His mother Manju claimed he had been targeted for his association with Trinamool. "I don't believe my son has done any wrong," she said.

Preliminary findings suggest that the 173 beneficiaries were inserted into the beneficiary list around two months before the Assembly elections. The financial assistance has been credited to their accounts since February.

The alleged irregularities surfaced during the process of integrating Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiary data with the Annapurna Yojana database. Officials conducting the exercise reportedly detected multiple discrepancies that prompted a deeper investigation.

During the preliminary probe, investigators found that several beneficiary profiles were created using fictitious female names and personal details and forged Aadhaar numbers. However, the bank accounts linked to those profiles were found to belong to males.

"It is also found that Aadhaar numbers originating from Bihar were used with fictitious names and fake photographs. In some cases, even photographs of film stars were allegedly used in the beneficiary profiles," a senior official associated with the inquiry said.

Diparnab Karmakar, the employee of Belpukur gram panchayat and one of the identified male beneficiaries, admitted that money under the scheme had been credited to his account, but denied any wrongdoing. "Since my bank details were available with the block administration, it is quite possible that someone misused them. Once the money was credited to my account, I informed the administration about the matter," he claimed.

The Nadia administration has expanded its verification exercise, and similar scrutiny is now underway in other blocks to identify additional ineligible recipients. Beneficiary databases are being cross-verified with other government records.

Nadia district magistrate Srikanth Palli confirmed that 173 men receiving the Lakshmir Bhandar dole had been identified and that an inquiry had been launched. "The person in charge of entering the details of these beneficiaries has been showcaused and more scrutiny is on," Palli said.

The chief minister has claimed that nearly 3,000 men could be receiving Lakshmir Bhandar benefits in the Jangipur subdivision of Murshidabad district alone. Suvendu has directed the DGP to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged fraud. He also indicated that cases involving large-scale financial irregularities could attract provisions relating to money laundering.

"Along with infiltrators and minors, many men are receiving Lakshmir Bhandar benefits. People like Rakibul Sheikh, Tariqur Rahman and Mustafizur Rahman from Murshidabad have been arrested for receiving (Lakshmir Bhandar) benefits despite being men. This is just the tip of the iceberg," Suvendu said.

A suspected irregularity in the disbursement of benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme has come to light in Harishchandrapur of Malda district, prompting the administration to order an inquiry.

5-year 'graft'

A Malda woman, Nurnahar Bibi of Sonakul village under Harishchandrapur-II block, allegedly did not receive the Lakshmir Bhandar assistance for five years as funds meant for her were credited to the bank account of Golam Mortuza, a male resident of her locality.

Authorities of a local rural bank detected regular deposits while reviewing Mortuza's account.

Nurnahar said that in 2021, she had applied for the Lakshmir Bhandar assistance through the Duare Sarkar initiative of the erstwhile Trinamool government and had submitted her bank details.

“I am not educated. I don't know what happened. Now I have learned that the money meant for me was being deposited into someone else's account. I want an investigation and the money that I am entitled to,” she said.

Mortuza, a private tutor, denied knowing about the deposits.

“I have a loan account at the rural bank and do not regularly monitor the transactions. I also do not receive notifications on my cell phone about the transactions. I had no inkling that Lakshmir Bhandar funds were being credited to my account. If it has happened, I am ready to return the money,” he said.

Khagen Murmu, the BJP MP of Malda Uttar, said this incident again proved the widespread corruption of the previous government.

Sources in the district administration said that an inquiry has been ordered.

Additional reporting by our Raiganj correspondent