BALURGHAT, April 13 -- A case of fraud has come to light in Majhi village under Bhatpara Gram Panchayat, where a man impersonating a block office employee demanded Rs 10,000 from a beneficiary of the Banglar Bari housing scheme, promising swift disbursement of the second installment.
The victim, Alok Sarkar, lodged a complaint with the Balurghat Police Station after a suspicious visit from an unknown man on Friday. "He arrived on a bike and claimed to be a block office worker. He took photos of my house and Aadhaar card under the pretense of a survey, then demanded Rs 10,000. When I asked for his account number, he refused," Alok said.
The fraudster allegedly assured that the second installment of the housing funds would be transferred immediately upon payment. Alarmed, Alok contacted local authorities and learned that no such survey was being conducted. Acting on the complaint, police have launched an investigation. Balurghat BDO Sambal Jha confirmed the incident: "No official from our office visited the beneficiary. Legal action will be taken against those involved." DSP Vikram Prasad added: "We are thoroughly investigating the matter."
Alok had already received the first installment and begun construction of his house's ground floor. He was awaiting the second installment when this scam attempt occurred. Locals claim the same person has approached several other families in the area demanding money. Bhatpara Gram Panchayat's BJP Upa-Pradhan Shibu Sarkar stated they are trying to identify the culprit. Authorities, including the BDO and local leaders, have urged beneficiaries not to pay anyone for scheme-related work and are working to raise awareness.
Subhas Chaki, TMC's district vice president, affirmed: "No money is required for the Banglar Bari scheme. The police are investigating the incident."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.