A former Trinamul gram panchayat member returned around Rs 1.55 lakh to 25 beneficiaries of a government housing scheme at a village in the Bankura district on Sunday, claiming they had given him the money “willingly” out of “love” to buy sweets for his family.

Arun Gorai, a Trinamul leader at Keshiyakol in Bankura 2 block, went the homes of the 25 villagers from whom he had collected money ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 against the promise of recording their names in the list of beneficiaries of the government housing scheme. Gorai repaid the money in cash as they had demonstrated in front his house two weeks ago and threatened to lodge a police complaint against him.

“Arun Gorai collected Rs 7,000 from me after my name had been enlisted for the housing scheme. He took the money in the name of party funds and told me the cash for the housing scheme would not be released unless I paid him,” Jharna Bauri said after receiving her money back.

Apart from the 25, the villagers said, Gorai had taken money from many more people.

Bhajahari Gorai, another Trinamul leader of the same village, had on July 8 returned the “cut money” he had collected from the residents with a promise to get toilets built under Mission Nirmal Bangla.

“The villagers became adamant after the (July 8) incident and had been demanding that Arun return their money. We also asked him to return the money or else, the party would initiate action against him,” said a Trinamul functionary in Bankura.

Gorai , a former member of Bikna gram panchayat, however, denied the charge of taking the “cut money”. “It was not cut money but the love of the people. They had given me the money willingly to buy sweets for my family. They now want it back and I have returned it,” he said.

Santosh Pandey, a BJP general secretary in Bankura, said more Trinamul leaders would have to return the cut money in the days to come. “This is just the beginning. Some big Trinamul leaders are there to return the cut money. They collected the money from innocent people by misguiding them,” said Pandey.

At Nanoor in the Birbhum district, Jadav Mondal, a Trinamul leader and a former gram panchayat member, returned Rs 34,000 to 17 beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on Saturday night. He had collected the alleged cut money a year before.

Sources said the residents of Feugram gehraoed Mondal demanding the return of the cut money. He held a meeting at the village and informed that he would give back Rs 2,000 each to 17 beneficiaries immediately. He said he would pay back another Rs 3,000 to the 17 beneficiaries in 10 days.

“The villagers willingly gave the money for the party’s work. Now, they want the money back. I gave Rs 34,000 to 17 and will pay the remaining Rs 3,000 within 10 days,” Mondal said.