Siliguri, 10th January: A teacher has been charged with duping people by taking lakhs of rupees in the pretext of giving them a job in an upper primary school. The accused teacher identified as Santosh Barman, resident of Sheetalkuchi in the Cooch Behar district, had been living in the Ashighar area for a few years with his family. The accused is a Bengali subject teacher at Ambari Chintamohan High School, Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district.
The matter came to light after a complaint was lodged by Bappa Malakar, a resident of the Mathabhanga area of Cooch Behar district against Santosh alleging of duping Rs 17 lakh from unemployed youths on the pretext of providing them jobs in the school. Even after this, they were not provided with a job. Later, when the said people asked for money, Santosh refused to return it. After this, Bappa Malakar lodged a written complaint against the accused teacher at Ambari Out Post. Based on the complaint, the police arrested the teacher. Today the accused has been produced in the Jalpaiguri court.
In this regard, Bappa Malakar said that the teacher had taken Rs 17 lakh three years ago on the pretext of giving him a job in the upper primary school. He further added that not only he but the accused has also taken money from other people for the same reason. But he did not provide a job to anyone. He narrated the ordeal that on December 13, when he went to the teacher’s residence in Siliguri to demand the money back, Santosh Barman threatened him and said that he would not return the money. After this, Bappa Malakar lodged a complaint against the teacher at the police station.
On the other hand, Prashant Das, headmaster of Ambari Chintamohan High School, said that the said teacher Santosh Barman had been working as a teacher in the said school since 2009. He is living with his wife and children in a house located in the Ashighar area of Siliguri. A few months ago some people had come in search of the said accused teacher. Then on Monday, the headmaster heard that he has been accused of fraud in the recruitment of teachers. Prashant Das further added that if the said accusations turn true then it is a matter of great shame for the school and education system. On the other hand, the accused teacher said that false allegations have been leveled against him and said that he has been implicated in a conspiracy.