March 11: A five-member team of Bengal police's anti-corruption branch today conducted a search in the office of an NGO run by CPM leader Surjya Kanta Mishra's wife Usha at West Midnapore's Belda on the basis of allegations of misappropriation of funds.

On January 22, another search had been conducted at the NGO's office after a complaint was lodged by Biplab Das, the deputy project director of the West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society (WBSAP&CS).

Today, the police team arrived at the NGO office around 9.40am and examined files and bills of items purchased by it. They also took photocopies of some documents. The NGO runs a primary education training centre, a vocational college and a school for physically challenged children.

The NGO had organised an AIDS-awareness programme in Digha and adjoining areas of East Midnapore in 2009. Camps had been set up by the NGO with labourers who migrated from other districts and states and sex workers.

According to the complaint, the project audit report had mentioned that there were discrepancies in the purchase of condoms and some other items. Its report allegedly said the amounts mentioned in the bills did not tally with the materials purchased.

During the first raid on January 22, anti-corruption branch officials had questioned Usha.

Yesterday, the anti-corruption branch of the state police started a case against Usha and her nephew Sudip Mishra under IPC sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). The charges have also been brought against some employees of the health department, which Mishra used to head as minister in the Left Front government.

An anti-corruption branch officer said Das, the deputy project director of the WBSAP&CS, had accused Usha of siphoning off funds granted to the NGO by the government for organising awareness programmes on AIDS and distributing medicines and condoms among patients.

"We have come across some documents that show that the former health minister, Surya Kanta Mishra, had recommended the NGO run by his wife to the health department for the project. We are yet to ascertain the exact volume of funds that the NGO misappropriated but it should be to the tune of several lakhs," said an officer of the anti-corruption branch. "Some health department employees are also under our scanner."

Usha denied the charges.

"The project was completed in 2011. I don't understand why the state government has become overactive after almost four years. They are actually out to malign my husband. But we have no problems. We are ready to face any probe," she said.

Usha said the NGO had been granted Rs 29 lakh between 2009 and 2011. "Of this, we spent about Rs 28 lakh. We have returned the rest of the money to the state government. In July 2011, we were asked to wind up our project. In March 2012, we were told to submit all documents relating to the project to the chief medical officer of health in East Midnapore. Apart from some minor expenses, we made all payments by cheque. So we have nothing to worry. We have not committed any crime," she said.

"We have so far cooperated with the anti-corruption branch. Yesterday, they contacted us. We assured them of all cooperation. However, we were not informed about today's search," she added.

CPM state secretariat member and party spokesman Mohammad Salim termed the search at the NGO "political vendetta".

"Earlier, our leaders Gautam Deb and Sujan Chakraborty had been harassed by the police in connection with the Saradha case. Now, such treatment is being meted out to Usha Mishra as she is the leader of the Opposition's wife," Salim said.