Samar Mukherjee, a Trinamul MLA and the party’s Malda working president, has been accused of pressuring the head of a panchayat samiti in his constituency for “cut money”.

Abida Khatun, head of the block-level rural body run by Trinamul, lodged an FIR against Mukherjee on Wednesday at Ratua police station in Malda. Mukherjee represents Ratua in the Assembly. Ratua officer-in-charge Kunal Das confirmed Khatun’s complaint.

“The MLA has been demanding cut money through his agents for developmental works taken up by the panchayat samiti. I firmly turned down the proposal but the demands are still continuing in various forms,” Khatun said.

The block chief alleged that Mukherjee’s supporters had threatened her with dire consequences if the “cut money” was not paid. “I come to office and go back alone. As a woman I am feeling scared.”

Mukherjee, the deputy of district Trinamul president Mausam Noor, rubbished the allegations as “low talk”.

Noor said she would speak to Mukherjee and ask him about the allegations.

“There could be some misunderstanding, too. We will try to mitigate that in the interest of the party,” Noor said.

Fajlul Hoque, former block president of Trinamul, said Khatun’s allegations “appeared true”. “There were several allegations of corruption against Mukherjee earlier. He was in the Congress and joined Trinamul not long ago. His motive is to satisfy vested interests and go back to the Congress.”