Four More Arrested in Connection with Taruner Swapna Grant Scam, Bringing Total to Seven

KalimNews, Siliguri, November24, 2024 : In the ongoing investigation into the Taruner Swapna grant scam, four more individuals were arrested over the weekend for their alleged involvement in siphoning off funds meant for higher secondary students. The arrests took place in Siliguri and Alipurduar on Saturday, bringing the total number of those detained in connection with the case to seven.

The Taruner Swapna scheme, a state government initiative, grants ₹10,000 to higher secondary students to purchase tablets or smartphones for digital learning. However, a growing number of students have reported that these funds have been diverted, sparking a large-scale investigation.

In a coordinated operation, police arrested Nazrul Islam (20) and Ruksana Khatun (50), both daily wage workers from the Matigara area in Siliguri. The duo was apprehended after it was discovered that funds meant for students were deposited into their bank accounts and subsequently withdrawn. Police officials suspect that the duo may have been used to launder the stolen funds, possibly by renting their accounts to the fraudsters. The arrest followed a raid conducted by a joint team from Matigara police and Keshiary police of West Midnapore, based on bank account records linking them to the scam.

The headmaster of Lal Bahadur Higher Secondary School, located in West Midnapore, filed a complaint after noticing a total of ₹70,000 meant for students had been credited to the accounts of Khatun and Islam. Following the withdrawal, the police conducted a successful raid and arrested the suspects. They have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Section 318, dealing with fraud.

In a related development, Md Mehbub Hussain (30), an accountant from Naukaghat in Siliguri, was arrested late on Saturday night by a team from the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station. Investigators believe he played a role in routing the diverted funds to other accounts, further complicating the network of fraudsters involved in the scam. Hussain was produced in court in Jalpaiguri and granted a two-day transit remand for further questioning.

Meanwhile, in Alipurduar, another suspect, Prabir Das, a pharmacist and civil contractor from Birpara, was also taken into custody. Police allege that Das allowed his bank account to be used to divert funds from the grant scheme.

With these latest arrests, authorities have confirmed that at least seven individuals have now been detained in connection with the scam. The police are continuing to probe the network of fraudsters who exploited the grant scheme, with further arrests expected.

The investigation reveals that on October 4, the funds intended for students were deposited into the accounts of Islam and Khatun. The money was swiftly withdrawn, suggesting clear involvement in the fraudulent scheme. Additional public prosecutor Susanta Neogi stated, “This type of activity is illegal, and these individuals are among those who allowed fraudsters to misuse their accounts.”

As the investigation intensifies, the police are hopeful that more leads will surface, and further arrests will be made to dismantle the scam. The authorities have promised to take strong action against anyone found complicit in this widespread financial fraud.

The state government had launched the Taruner Swapna scheme to aid students in their pursuit of digital education, but the growing revelations of misappropriation have raised concerns about the security and accountability of such welfare initiatives.