Lakshmir Bhandar fraud: 3 men held in Murshidabad for impersonating women
Synopsis
Three men in Murshidabad's Domkal have been arrested for fraudulently drawing Lakshmir Bhandar benefits by posing as women — but investigators say they are just the tip of the iceberg. With hundreds of male beneficiaries suspected and prior claims of 30 lakh illegal claimants, this case could expose a systemic failure in one of West Bengal's flagship welfare programmes.
Key Takeaways
Three men — Ali Khurram , Sargen Sheikh , and Mizanur Rahman — were arrested in Domkal, Murshidabad for fraudulently claiming Lakshmir Bhandar benefits.
All three were produced in district court on Tuesday ; police have sought 10-day custody .
Initial investigation estimates hundreds of men may have illegally registered under the women-only scheme.
A similar arrest was made last month for a man who impersonated a woman for two years to withdraw scheme funds.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had earlier claimed around 30 lakh illegal beneficiaries, including males, were enrolled under the scheme.
Police in Murshidabad district arrested three men from the Domkal area on Tuesday for illegally drawing benefits under West Bengal's Lakshmir Bhandar social welfare scheme — a programme exclusively meant for women — by fraudulently posing as female beneficiaries. The arrests have triggered significant unrest in the district, with locals demanding stringent punishment for the accused.
Who Was Arrested
The three individuals taken into custody have been identified as Ali Khurram of the Maniknagar area, Sargen Sheikh of the Jorgachha area, and Mizanur Rahman of the Laskarpur area. All three were produced before the district court on Tuesday, with police seeking 10-day custody to conduct a detailed investigation.
'Three youths have been arrested,' a senior officer of Murshidabad Police District confirmed, adding that the accused had opened bank accounts illegally using women's names to siphon funds from the scheme.
Scale of the Alleged Fraud
According to investigators, the fraud is not limited to these three individuals. In the initial stages of the probe, police estimated that hundreds of men may have illegally received financial assistance under the scheme by registering as women. Officers of the Domkal Police Station are actively searching for others believed to be involved, and investigators suspect that 'several other big names' are also implicated, according to reports.
This is not the first such case. Last month, police arrested another man on charges of withdrawing Lakshmir Bhandar funds for two years by impersonating a woman — indicating a pattern of sustained, organised fraud against the scheme.
What Investigators Want to Establish
Authorities are seeking to determine how long the accused have been committing the fraud, the total amount misappropriated, and — critically — whether they were acting on someone else's instructions. The 10-day custody request reflects the complexity of the investigation and the likelihood of a wider network.
Political Context
The arrests come against the backdrop of sharp political statements about the scheme's integrity. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had previously claimed that approximately 30 lakh illegal beneficiaries — including males — had been drawing monthly payments under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which was introduced by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal. Those claims, if borne out by the ongoing investigation, would point to a systemic breakdown in the scheme's verification process.
As the probe widens, the case is set to intensify scrutiny of how beneficiary records were created and audited under the scheme — and who, if anyone, facilitated the large-scale registration of ineligible claimants.
Point of View
The question is not just about individual fraud — it is about how the Lakshmir Bhandar enrolment process was designed and supervised. The claim of 30 lakh illegal claimants, made by the current Chief Minister, has never been independently verified, but even a fraction of that number would represent a significant fiscal leak from a scheme meant to empower women. The real accountability question — whether the fraud was enabled by negligence or active facilitation — is precisely what the 10-day custody probe needs to answer.
NationPress
26 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme?
Lakshmir Bhandar is a West Bengal state government social welfare scheme that provides monthly financial assistance exclusively to women. It was introduced by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government and is not open to male beneficiaries.
Why were the three men arrested in Murshidabad?
Ali Khurram, Sargen Sheikh, and Mizanur Rahman were arrested in Domkal, Murshidabad for illegally opening bank accounts using women's names and drawing financial benefits under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, to which they were not entitled. Police say they fraudulently posed as female beneficiaries.
How widespread is the alleged fraud?
According to police, initial investigation suggests hundreds of men in Murshidabad alone may have illegally received Lakshmir Bhandar payments. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had previously claimed around 30 lakh illegal beneficiaries — including males — were enrolled statewide under the scheme.
What are investigators trying to find out?
Police want to establish how long the fraud was carried out, how much money was misappropriated in total, and whether the accused were acting on instructions from others. Investigators believe a wider network is involved beyond the three arrested.
Has there been a similar case before?
Yes. Last month, police arrested another individual for withdrawing Lakshmir Bhandar funds for two years by impersonating a woman, suggesting the Domkal case is part of a recurring pattern rather than an isolated incident.
