Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee faces renewed legal trouble following a fresh First Information Report (FIR) alleging a ₹250-crore financial irregularity in his parliamentary constituency. This development adds to a series of ongoing investigations by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), CID, and local police.

The fresh allegations center around the distribution of rehabilitation funds following the devastating Cyclone Amphan in 2020.

Key Allegations Outlined in the Complaint:

Misappropriation of Housing Relief:* Under the post-cyclone rehabilitation drive, the government deployed Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to disburse ₹20,000 for rebuilding collapsed houses and ₹5,000 for repairing damaged structures. The complaint alleges that multiple concrete households (pukka houses) were falsely logged into the official portal as “damaged” to illicitly siphon off funds.

Duplication of Benefits:* The FIR claims that multiple individuals residing under the exact same roof were sanctioned separate financial packages.

Data Manipulation:* The complainant highlights significant anomalies in the beneficiary database, pointing out that a single phone number was linked to 13 different individuals, while another contact number was associated with 8 separate beneficiaries across various bank branches, each receiving payouts of ₹20,000.

Extortion of ‘Cut-Money’:* Alongside systemic fraud, allegations have surfaced regarding local intermediaries demanding illegal commissions or “cut-money” from actual beneficiaries to clear the relief packages.

Political Fallout and Demand for SIT

BJP leader Abhijit Das has formally demanded the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged ₹250-crore financial misappropriation comprehensively.

This marks the latest escalating legal challenge for Banerjee within his own constituency, where he secured a victory margin of nearly 700,000 votes in the general elections. This follows another separate FIR lodged against him by BJP leader Bobby, who alleged that a life-threatening assault was orchestrated against him seven and a half years ago at Banerjee’s behest.

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