The Calcutta High Court has directed the State authorities to expedite the investigation into alleged irregularities in the disbursement of funds under the Government Disability Allowance Scheme in the Samserganj area of Murshidabad. The direction was passed by a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Suraj Sk.
The petitioner had sought directions for a fair, impartial, independent, comprehensive and time-bound inquiry into the identification, medical assessment, verification, selection, sanction and disbursement of disability allowance to beneficiaries within the concerned Samserganj Gram Panchayat/Block area. The case was premised on the allegation that government funds meant for genuinely eligible persons with disabilities had been fraudulently obtained by individuals with no lawful entitlement and diverted for purposes unrelated to the West Bengal Disability Pension Scheme, 2010.
The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Omar Faruk Gazi, submitted that respondent no. 9, a member of the Samserganj Panchayat Samity, had allegedly abused his public office to facilitate the wrongful utilisation of scheme funds. It was further contended that 15 persons associated with the respondent had acted as accomplices, with their details outlined in paragraph 11 of the writ petition.
The State opposed the PIL, stating that an inquiry had already been initiated based on the complaint. It informed the Court that following the inquiry, Samserganj Police Station Case No. 613/2026 was registered on July 5, 2026, under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 340(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The State added that notices had been issued under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, witness statements had been recorded, and the investigation was underway.
The State placed before the Court a report from the Inspector-in-Charge of Samserganj Police Station, Jangipur Police District. As recorded by the Bench, the report indicated that 13 out of the 15 disability certificates under investigation were found to be fake. The Court directed that this report be kept on record.
After considering the submissions and materials, the Bench observed that the petitioner’s primary grievance — that funds earmarked for genuinely disabled persons had been wrongfully obtained by ineligible individuals — could not be ruled out. The Court noted that the matter had already been brought to the attention of the State authorities, a police case had been registered, and the investigation was in progress.
In the said conspectus, the allegations levelled by the petitioner in the writ petition cannot be ruled out, the Bench observed. Since the investigation was already underway, the Court did not issue any direction for a separate inquiry. Instead, it disposed of the PIL with a direction to the State respondents, particularly the investigating authority, to complete the investigation in Samserganj Police Station Case No. 613/2026 as expeditiously as possible to book the wrongdoers.