PM Awas Yojana scam: TMC councillor arrested in Murshidabad for fraud
Synopsis
A TMC councillor in Murshidabad's Dhuliyan municipality has been arrested for allegedly collecting lakhs from residents under the guise of securing PMAY housing benefits — and delivering nothing. The accused has cried political vendetta, but police have applied for seven days of custody to pursue the case further.
Key Takeaways
Sarif Sheikh , alias Haddi , TMC councillor of Ward No.
15, Dhuliyan Municipality , was arrested on Saturday morning .
He allegedly collected ₹20,000–₹30,000 per person from multiple residents, promising Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana housing benefits that were never delivered.
The total amount allegedly defrauded runs into several lakhs of rupees , according to police sources.
A group of women filed the original complaint at Shamsherganj Police Station , triggering the investigation and a 1 am raid on his residence.
Sheikh was produced before Jangipur Sub-divisional Court ; police have sought 7 days of custody for further investigation.
The accused alleged BJP -driven political victimisation — a claim the police have not addressed publicly.
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor from Dhuliyan municipality in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, has been arrested on charges of defrauding beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) of several lakhs of rupees. The accused, Sarif Sheikh, alias Haddi, who represents Ward No. 15 of Dhuliyan Municipality, was taken into custody on Saturday morning following a complaint lodged at Shamsherganj Police Station.
How the Alleged Fraud Unfolded
According to police sources, Sheikh allegedly collected sums of ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 from multiple residents, promising to secure houses for them under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. However, none of the beneficiaries reportedly received any housing assistance or a refund of the money paid. The total amount allegedly siphoned is said to run into several lakhs of rupees, according to police sources.
The complaint was initially filed by a group of women at Shamsherganj Police Station, who alleged that Sheikh had taken money from them under false pretences. Based on their written complaint, a case was registered and an investigation was launched.
Midnight Raid and Arrest
Acting on the evidence gathered, Shamsherganj Police conducted a raid at Sheikh's residence in Dhuliyan at around 1 am on Saturday. He was formally arrested at his home in the early morning hours and subsequently taken to Shamsherganj Police Station for interrogation.
Sheikh was produced before the Jangipur Sub-divisional Court the same morning under tight police security — reportedly to shield him from public anger. Police have applied for seven days of police custody for the purpose of further investigation.
Accused Claims Political Vendetta
In court, Sheikh denied the allegations and claimed he was being targeted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as an act of political revenge. He also alleged that police forcibly broke down the door of his house in the middle of the night to arrest him. The police have not publicly responded to these claims.
Broader Context: PMAY Corruption in Bengal
This is not the first time that alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in West Bengal have come to light. The scheme, which provides housing assistance to economically weaker sections, has been the subject of multiple complaints of middlemen and local functionaries allegedly siphoning funds or extracting illegal payments from intended beneficiaries. This arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of grassroots-level corruption in the state's ruling party. The case is likely to add political pressure on the TMC ahead of upcoming local body elections in the region.
Point of View
But it does not address the core allegation: that women paid money for homes they never received. The deeper question is whether this is an isolated case of individual misconduct or a symptom of systemic leakage in how PMAY is administered at the ward level in the state.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sarif Sheikh and why was he arrested?
Sarif Sheikh, alias Haddi, is a Trinamool Congress councillor representing Ward No. 15 of Dhuliyan Municipality in Murshidabad, West Bengal. He was arrested on Saturday morning on charges of allegedly defrauding residents of several lakhs of rupees by collecting ₹20,000 to ₹30,000 per person in exchange for promised housing benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which were never delivered.
What is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and how was it misused here?
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a central government scheme that provides financial assistance to economically weaker sections for housing. In this case, the accused councillor allegedly exploited his position to collect money from residents by promising to facilitate their inclusion in the scheme, while no housing benefits were actually provided to them.
What action has the court taken in the case?
Sheikh was produced before the Jangipur Sub-divisional Court on Saturday morning under tight police security. The police have applied for seven days of police custody to continue their investigation into the alleged fraud.
What did the accused say in his defence?
In court, Sarif Sheikh claimed he was being victimised by BJP's revenge politics and alleged that police broke down his door in the middle of the night to arrest him. The police have not publicly responded to these allegations.
Is this the first such PMAY-related corruption case in West Bengal?
No. Allegations of irregularities in the implementation of PMAY in West Bengal have surfaced on multiple occasions, with complaints of local functionaries extracting payments from intended beneficiaries. This case is among the more recent to result in a formal arrest of an elected representative.
