A man in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district was apprehended for fraudulently obtaining financial aid from the state’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme by impersonating a woman. Rakibul Sheikh, the accused, had been unlawfully benefiting from the scheme for two years, which is designated for female recipients only. Despite his claims of innocence and attempts to rectify the error at the BDO office, no corrective action was taken due to alleged administrative oversights.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari highlighted Rakibul Sheikh’s case during a public address, prompting swift action from the authorities. Following this, Rakibul was arrested, causing astonishment among local residents and casting doubts on the scheme’s beneficiary verification process. The Chief Minister disclosed that numerous unauthorized individuals, including men, had been illicitly availing monthly allowances from the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, necessitating their transition to the Annapurna Yojana scheme.
Rakibul Sheikh, who operates a restaurant and maintains a stable income, expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing his lack of involvement in the scheme’s application process. His arrest has raised concerns within the community regarding the oversight and validation mechanisms for scheme beneficiaries.
