Chairman of the Trinamul Congress-led Dinhata Municipality in Cooch Behar, Gouri Shankar Maheshwari, stepped down today after a board meeting addressing allegations of a massive financial scam.

The controversy surfaced following a series of complaints lodged by locals with the municipality.

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A preliminary investigation revealed widespread irregularities, prompting the municipality to file complaints with the police against several employees, including engineers. The investigation centers on allegations that Uttam Chakraborty, an employee, collected substantial sums of money from applicants for building plan approvals by issuing fake receipts.

Police have begun interrogating employees, including engineers, to uncover the extent of the scam. One Sujoy Saha, a complainant, alleged that Mr Chakraborty took Rs 77,000 as charges for building plan approvals, issuing fraudulent receipts in return. The administration later discovered that Mr Chakraborty and his associates had been collecting money privately under the guise of facilitating building plan approvals.

Admitting his failure to oversee operations and prevent financial irregularities, Mr Maheshwari tendered his resignation during the board meeting. He emphasised his accountability in the matter and expressed his commitment to ensuring a transparent investigation.

North Bengal development minister and Dinhata MLA, Udayan Guho, welcomed Mr Maheshwari’s decision, stating, “I appreciate the chairman’s decision to step down. His objective is to ensure that the inquiry proceeds in the right direction. No one can accuse him of influencing the investigation into this financial scam.”