The teacher-in-charge of a high school and a trader in Cooch Behar were arrested on Saturday for taking the cash that a person dropped by mistake and for allegedly sharing it between themselves.
Sources said Ashok Roy, the teacher-in-charge of Bamanhat High School in Dinhata, and Sailesh Saha, a small-time trader of the area, had shared a sum of around ₹9 lakh that was found in a bag on a road.
On November 24, a medicine seller in Godhulibazar of Dinhata forgot to carry the cash from his shop to his home. One of his employees took the bag to hand it over to him. While he was on his way to his employer's house, the bag of cash fell on a road in Baronachina area.
Roy, seated at a roadside stall, noticed it. Roy picked up the bag, went home and told Saha, his friend. They allegedly decided to keep the money.
The medicine seller, on the other hand, started searching for the bag. He informed the police.
The police checked the CCTV footage based on the evidence of the employee and interrogated the teacher and the trader.
“The duo had taken the bag and instead of informing us remained silent. Both served notices and called for interrogation on Saturday. We found that they wanted to keep the money,” said a police officer.
The police arrested them on Saturday. On Sunday, both were produced at a local court. The court heard the case and granted them bail.
Roy, the teacher, alleged he wanted to hand over the money but was a victim of conspiracy.