A former gram panchayat pradhan of the Trinamul Congress, along with two employees of the panchayat, were arrested by the anti-corruption branch of the state government on Friday for allegedly embezzling MGNREGS funds to the tune of Rs 1.75 crore.

In 2022, a written complaint had been lodged against Subodh Sarkar, then head of Bairgachhi-II gram panchayat, for the period of 2018–23, by some residents of Eklakhi, Rajadighi and Khoslabari villages under Gazole police station.

Subodh was the pradhan till recently.

The complainants had alleged that Subodh along with some employees of the panchayat had embezzled around Rs 1.75 crore in projects related to the beautification of the burningghat, road construction and other projects under the 100 days’ job of the Centre’s MGNREGS.

Hemanta Sarkar, one of the complainants in the case, told The Telegraph that they had to move Calcutta High Court after their complaint “went unaddressed”.

“We lodged a complaint of corruption with the district administration in June 2022 against Subodh Sarkar. Since we felt that not much headway was being made from the end of the district administration, we moved Calcutta high court seeking a probe,” said complainant Hemanta Sarkar.

Hemanta further alleged that Subodh had gradually started threatening them with dire consequences unless the complainants withdrew the case.

“Subodh started threatening us with dire consequences if the case was not withdrawn. One of the complainants was attacked. Dhananjoy Sarkar, the elder brother of another complainant Prahlad Sarkar, was mysteriously killed. We, however, were not deterred and carried on with our fight (against the alleged corruption),” said Hemanta while expressing his happiness over the arrests.

Sources said that a 10-member team from the directorate of anti-corruption branch from Calcutta reached Malda on Thursday and summoned Subodh Sarkar for questioning.

“Panchayat executive Sovon Roy and panchayat nirmal sahayak Apurba Barui were also asked to report to the police station,” said a source.

Sources said that since their replies were found “unsatisfactory”, Subodh Sarkar, Sovon Roy and Apurba Barui were detained and taken to Calcutta on Thursday night.

They were arrested on Friday.

The Malda BJP expressed its satisfaction at the arrests.

Ujjwal Dutta, the president of BJP Malda (north) district, said: “The arrests bring to the fore the huge corruption that some of the Trinamul panchayat heads have indulged in their areas over the years. We believe that all the offenders will face the music.”

In reply, Abdur Rahim Boxi, the district Trinamul president, said: “The law will take its own course. We will not defend anyone if their involvement in alleged corruption is proved.”