Habibpur police from Malda district arrested a North Dinajpur farmer, Sabir Ali, late on Monday night, for his alleged role in the Taruner Swapna tab money scam.

The police raided Kajibasti area under Islampur police station in North Dinajpur to arrest Sabir, in his early thirties, who reportedly lent his bank account for getting the ₹10,000 dole meant for a student.

A one-time grant of ₹10,000 to Class XI and XII students of state-run and state-aided schools is given under the state government’s Taruner Swapna scheme to purchase tablets or smartphones for digital learning.

Over the past few days, many cases have been reported from various districts where this money, meant only for students, has been transferred to unknown bank accounts within the state and outside, including Delhi, Jharkhand and Bihar.

Recently a state government-aided primary school teacher was arrested from Dinhata in Cooch Behar district.

In this case, police sources said that the investigation revealed that the money was granted by the state government to a student of Kendpukur High School in Habibpur block of Malda. However, the money was credited to Sabir’s account, depriving the original beneficiary.

So far, those arrested in the tab money scam from various districts are educated and with computer know-how.

However, it has been learnt from local sources that Sabir is a marginal farmer and also worked as a migrant labourer sometimes.

On the way to court on Tuesday, Sabir claimed that someone he “knew well” offered him the benefit of the housing scheme of the government and asked for his bank details.

Sabir said that soon after giving the person his bank details, ₹10,000 was credited to his bank account. He claimed he unknowingly became the victim of “a conspiracy”.

The police are keeping the identity of the person that Sabir spoke about for the purposes of the probe.

Jahedur Rahman, Sabir’s father, and Najni Bibi, his wife, admitted that he had
received ₹10,000 but had no idea about the source of the money.

Produced in a Malda court on Tuesday, he was sent in police remand till November 26.