Dinhata Municipality employee arrested

Cooch Behar: Dinhata Police have arrested Uttam Chakraborty, an employee of Dinhata Municipality, in connection with a building plan forgery scam that has shaken the district. Chakraborty, the main accused in the case, was taken into custody on Monday night following prolonged questioning. He was presented in court on Tuesday, where a 13-day police remand was ordered for further interrogation.

The arrest has stirred widespread attention as police delve deeper into identifying others involved in the scam. The investigation gained momentum following the resignation of Dinhata Municipality Chairman, Gauri Sankar Maheshwari, on Monday, shortly before Chakraborty’s arrest.

In response to the unfolding scandal, the municipality has set up a verification unit in Dinhata town to assist citizens in checking the authenticity of their building plan approvals. Residents with doubts can now verify their plans manually, with the initiative focusing on approvals issued since September 2021.

North Bengal Development minister Udayan Guha confirmed that the unit had already uncovered four additional cases of fraudulent approvals. He stated: “The municipality has started manual verification for both online and offline building plan passes since September 2021. Four new cases have emerged today and the police are investigating them. Those involved in corruption will not escape accountability.”

The scam came to light during a routine check on a building plan in Ward 2. Local councillors discovered that Chakraborty, a peon in the Public Works Department of the municipality, had been issuing fake house construction plans to citizens over an extended period.

Once the irregularities were exposed, the municipality filed a complaint with Dinhata Police, prompting more residents to report similar cases of fraud. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities working to uncover the full extent of the scam and

ensure accountability.