Tablets row: West Midnapore students' money diverted

 Authorities suspect that bank accounts of 22 students had been hacked 

SNS, KOLKATA. 14 NOVEMBER 2024 : After North Dinajpur, Siliguri, and Malda, this time in West Midnapore's Ghatal, a portion of the money meant for 22 students to buy tablets or smartphones under the state government-funded 'Taruner Swapna' scheme was fraudulently diverted to bank accounts of others.

The students of Kharar Shree Arabinda Vidyamandir School in Ghatal alleged that the money allotted for them had been diverted to the bank accounts of others. Sensing something amiss, the school authorities lodged complaints with the office of the district inspector (DI) of schools and cyber police stations in the area. The authorities suspect that the bank accounts of the students had been hacked. It is learned that more than 250 students of the school’s class had applied for funds meant to buy tablets or smartphones. The scheme provides Rs 10,000 to each beneficiary in government-aided schools across the state.

Twenty-two students among the applicants at the school have not received the money so far. In addition to these 22 students, 24 more students at the same school have also alleged that they have not received the funds meant for purchasing tablets or smartphones.

"We contacted the concerned bank soon after we came to know about the allegations brought by the students. Their money has been fraudulently diverted to bank accounts of others, mainly based in Siliguri and some other districts in North Bengal," said a senior teacher of the school.

There have been regular complaints made by different schools across the state, claiming that funds under the scheme have been illegally diverted to other bank accounts instead of to the genuine beneficiaries over the past few days.

On Wednesday, two persons were arrested in the Chopra area of North Dinajpur in connection with the alleged defalcation of funds in Sarsuna, Behala. A portion of the money that students were supposed to receive for tablets or smartphones was fraudulently diverted to the bank accounts of the two men, a police officer said. The accused have been identified as Krishnapada Barman, 38, and Sariful Islam, 45.

As of Wednesday, Kolkata Police had received 62 complaints from six government-aided schools, reporting that the money earmarked for students had been diverted to others' bank accounts. As many as 31 complaints were lodged with the Sarsuna police station, 12 with the Jadavpur police station, 10 with the Kasba police station, five with the Beniapukur police station, and two each with the Maniktala and Watgunge police stations.

The police said they would conduct a forensic audit of the money trail and documents related to the alleged scam. The two accused had received Rs 10,000 each in their accounts. The accounts have been seized, according to the police.

The two arrested individuals were produced in a court in Islampur on Wednesday and will be brought to Calcutta on transit remand. Kolkata Police have formed a 10-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged fund fraud in connection with the money for students under the government scheme, sources at Lalbazar said.