The Bihar government has sparked a major controversy after issuing recovery notices to several men in Darbhanga district, demanding they return Rs 10,000 that was "mistakenly transferred" to their bank accounts. The funds were intended exclusively for women entrepreneurs under a state scheme launched just before the recent assembly polls.
Allegations of Fraudulent Disbursal for Votes
Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief and former minister Mukesh Sahani has leveled serious allegations against the state government. On Wednesday, he claimed the "mistaken" transfers were part of a larger fraudulent disbursal of government funds aimed at garnering votes during the elections.
"At least 80% of the money was distributed fraudulently among the people to get votes. It was also given to men. But now the govt is asking the villagers to return the money," Sahani alleged. He warned that a major scam would be uncovered if a thorough probe was conducted into the distribution of the Rs 10,000 aid to women on the eve of the polls.
The Recovery Notices and Technical Glitch Claim
The state government has sent formal notices to multiple men from Ahiyari village under Jale block in Darbhanga district. The notices state that the financial assistance was credited to their accounts due to "technical problems" and instruct them to deposit the Rs 10,000 back into specified government account numbers.
This money was part of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, a scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2024, just ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. The scheme aimed to provide financial support to over one crore women entrepreneurs across the state.
Sahani's Demand: Return Votes or Full Payment
Launching a sharp political attack, Mukesh Sahani, who was the opposition's projected deputy chief minister face, demanded accountability. "If the govt is asking for the money back, it should also return the votes it received from the villagers and order fresh elections in the state," he stated.
He further accused the ruling dispensation of distributing funds worth Rs 20,000 crore under various schemes to influence voters. "Now they are demanding the money back from the poor," Sahani said, announcing plans for protests if the promised sum of Rs 2 lakh is not fully distributed to the intended women beneficiaries.
The incident has put the government's implementation of welfare schemes under scrutiny, raising questions about the integrity of the process and setting the stage for a fresh political confrontation in Bihar.
