Former Minister and a longtime former Chairman of the Bishnupur Municipality, Shyam Mukherjee was arrested by the police today on charges of fraudulent activities, cheating and using forged documents purposely to issue fake tenders against already completed government works.

Mukherjee was ordered four days police remand by the ACJM Court, Bishnupur. He has slapped charges of preparing forged documents, dishonesty using the forged documents, cheating, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy (under Sections467, 471, 420, 406 & 120-B of the IPC).

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The SP, Bankura, Dhritiman Sarkar said: “He’s booked following a complaint by the SDM, Bishnupur. Now our officials will interrogate him.” Mukherjee was in the office of the first Mamata Banerjee government as the Textile Minister from 20 May 2011 till 2013 when he was assigned to look after the Women and Child Welfare department.

He ruled the civic body as the Chairman for nearly 20 years and again was appointed as the Administrator of the civic body. In December 2020, the day former Transport Minister Subhendu Adhikari joined the BJP, he too deserted Mamata Banerjee’s party in critical hours.

After he was denied the nomination in the last Assembly Election by the saffron party, he rushed to Mamata Banerjee when the latter was camping in Durgapur steel city for four days.

Banerjee however denied meeting him. Mukherjee, according to the government officials, had issued tenders for the construction of roads knowing fully well that the same roads were complete metal roads in the 2019-20 financial year. After a complaint was lodged to the SDM, Bishnupur, an inquiry was initiated.

The SDM, Bishnupur, Anup Dutta conducted the inquiry against fraudulent work orders Worth Rs 10 Crore and found Mukherjee on the wrong foot. He then registered a complaint with the police. The officials said that the fraud tenders were issued in January 2020.

Mukherjee meanwhile said today: “All such bogus charges against me have been framed purposely to malign my political dignity.” Sujit Agasty, president of the BJP’s Bishnupur organizational district said: “Law must take its own course. It would be much better if the inquiry was made at the time he was holding the office.”

The Chairman of Trinamul Congress in Bankura, Shyamal Santra said: “He’d fled to BJP with an ambition to escape the charges and the BJP had provided shelter to him knowing everything.