The headmaster of a state-aided high school in Malda has filed a complaint with the police against the assistant headmaster, accusing the latter of siphoning funds meant for 12 girl students of the institution under the Kanyashree scheme by the state government.

The assistant headmaster, on the other hand, lodged a counter-complaint with the police, claiming that he has been made a scapegoat and has accused the headmaster of a conspiracy.

Md Badiruzzaman, the headmaster of Enayetpur High School in the Manikchak block of the district, complained against Sunanda Mazumdar, his deputy, on Saturday.

The headmaster said that recently, a section of girl students informed him that they had not received the Kanyashree scholarship of ₹25,000.

“As I checked the details, it was found that the money was sanctioned and the scholarship was withdrawn in 2021. The girls, who were deprived of the scholarship, informed the school in writing that the fund was not credited to their bank accounts but to other accounts. The forms, submitted by those girls, were countersigned by the assistant headmaster. He was the nodal teacher of the scheme and can’t evade onus,” he said.

At least 12 girls in the school did not get the money, said sources.

“We provided the police their bank account numbers, along with account details where the money was transferred,” the headmaster added.

Majumdar, the assistant headmaster, said when he checked the forms, he found his signature and seal “were forged”.

“It was a conspiracy. I also want a probe and have filed a complaint with the police. I have learnt that the scam was made in connivance with the owner of a customer service point (CSP) of a bank. I suspect the headmaster might be involved,” he said.

Majumdar is the husband of Tapati Majumdar, the Trinamool-run Enayetpur panchayat chief. He is also known to be close to Sabitri Mitra, the TMC MLA of Manikchak.

Gour Chandra Mandal, a district general secretary of BJP’s Malda south (organisational), slammed the TMC.

“Many scams where TMC leaders have been involved have come to the surface. We want a full probe of this specific case,” said Mandal.