A resident of Salsalabari in Alipurduar district, also a former member of a panchayat, has filed a police complaint, alleging that four persons swindled her of around Rs 6 lakh by promising a job for her daughter in the state health department.

On Sunday, former panchayat member Kanika Barman, in her complaint with Samuktala police, accused couple Niloy and Anita Roy, who are her neighbours, of taking her money.

“Few months back, he (Niloy) told me he can arrange a nurse’s job for my daughter at a government hospital and that I needed to pay Rs 6 lakh. Accordingly, I paid the money to him in instalments,” Kanika said.

Once she paid the money, Niloy came with an appointment letter in the name of Kanika’s daughter, but it turned out fake, she said. “As I approached him and asked for my money back, he and his family members misbehaved with me,” she added.

Kanika then approached some villagers and some two months back, residents convened a “salishi sabha” or kangaroo court to resolve the issue. At the meeting, it was decided that Niloy would hand over four bank cheques to Kanika and she would draw the money.

“I deposited the cheques accordingly but to my surprise all four bounced. I had no other option but to file a police complaint against the couple and two other members of the family as Niloy had given me cheques signed in their names too,” Kanika said.

Amitabha Maity, the Alipurduar superintendent of police, said they were probing the case. “The accused have fled the village and we are searching for them,” he added.