Bengal Orders CID Probe Into 57,000 Suspected Fake Beneficiaries (Img: X)
Kolkata: Those who obtained financial assistance under government housing schemes in West Bengal despite being ineligible could face legal action if they fail to return the money by November 30.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari set the deadline for such beneficiaries and ordered a CID investigation into 57,000 suspected fake entries identified during an administrative survey.
The announcement was made on Friday at a programme organised at Nabanna, the state secretariat, to release the second instalment of funds under the West Bengal Housing Scheme.
Today, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Suvendu Adhikari, attended a programme at Nabanna to provide financial assistance to over 7 lakh beneficiaries under the West Bengal Awas Yojana.
Through this initiative, the state has taken another significant step towards helping a large number of beneficiaries realise their dream of owning a permanent pucca house.
— Chief Minister's Office, Govt. of West Bengal (@cmowbgov) November 13, 2026
An administrative survey identified around 12,000 people who did not meet the government's eligibility criteria for the housing scheme but had already received the first instalment in their bank accounts.
According to the CM, 1,000 of these beneficiaries have returned the money. The remaining 11,000 have been warned to repay the amount by November 30 or face legal action.
The state government has also raised concerns over 57,000 suspicious beneficiary entries detected during the survey. Some of these records allegedly belong to people who may not even exist.
The probe suspected that fraudulent accounts could have been created in the names of deceased people or individuals who had moved elsewhere to obtain government funds illegally.
West Bengal government takes tough stand on fraudulent accounts (Img: X)
CM Adhikari has ordered a CID investigation into the matter, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) also assisting in the probe.
While taking a tough stand against ineligible recipients, the government has also announced additional financial assistance for families who genuinely qualify for the housing scheme.
Apart from the existing housing assistance, eligible families will receive around Rs 30,000 towards labour costs and Rs 12,000 for toilet construction.
District magistrates have also been instructed to ensure that construction materials are available to beneficiaries at affordable rates. The government has specifically emphasised keeping sand prices within the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200.
