'30 lakh fake accounts': West Bengal govt orders SIT probe into Lakshmir Bhandar scheme

KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday alleged large-scale irregularities in the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme launched by the previous TMC government and said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) would be constituted to probe nearly 30 lakh suspected fake beneficiary accounts.

Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Adhikari said the matter would also be investigated from a money laundering angle, claiming that the alleged irregularities involved illegal cash transfers.

The chief minister alleged that several men had fraudulently availed benefits under the scheme, which was meant exclusively for women.

"About 30 lakh Lakshmir Bhandar accounts are fake. I have directed the Director General of Police to form an SIT to investigate the issue," Adhikari said.

Defending the BJP government's detailed verification process for the newly launched Annapurna Bhandar scheme, under which eligible women will receive Rs 3,000 per month, Adhikari said critics of the 12-page application form should consider the alleged misuse detected in the earlier welfare programme.

He claimed that some men had already been arrested for obtaining benefits by making false declarations and said the government was determined to eliminate such irregularities.

"We will root out these illegalities from the grassroots level," he said.

Adhikari also announced that benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme would begin reaching a large number of women beneficiaries from Wednesday.
(With PTI inputs)