Cash, alcohol bottles, bedroom-like room found inside Bengal school; row erupts

Kolkata,UPDATED: Jun 11, 2026 12:13 IST

A major row has erupted in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district after police recovered Rs 1.77 crore in cash from a school and reportedly found alcohol bottles, a semi-furnished room resembling a bedroom, as well as condom packets.

The recovery was made at Harnett English Medium School in Kanchrapara, where police launched an investigation following allegations of financial irregularities involving school funds.

According to police, the school's acting principal, Bikash Chandra Pal, lodged a complaint on June 10 alleging embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and cheating by four individuals associated with the institution, including an accountant and other staff members.

In his complaint, Pal alleged that despite the school running at a loss, a large amount of cash was discovered when accountant Abhik Kumar Nag was asked to open a vault in the presence of school authorities and staff members.

Based on the complaint, the police lodged a case and launched an investigation.

During the probe, officers seized Rs 1.77 crore in cash from the school premises. Documents, computers and other materials were also taken into custody. Two persons — the accountant and a junior accountant — have been detained for questioning.

The sheer volume of cash prompted police to bring a cash-counting machine to the campus as officers continued examining the recovered money and related records.

Investigators are now trying to determine whether the cash belonged to the school, represented unaccounted collections, or originated from external sources.

Meanwhile, the acting principal distanced himself from the recovery, saying he had no prior knowledge that such a large amount of cash had not been deposited in the bank.

"The cash was collected from students after the academic session began in April. The accountant was supposed to deposit the money in the bank every two or three days," Pal said.

"As principal, I am responsible for academic affairs. I had no knowledge that the cash had not been deposited. This is beyond my imagination," he added.

Referring to reports about the semi-furnished room and condoms found on the premises, Pal said he was equally shocked.

"It is true that inappropriate items have been recovered, but I do not know the details. I have no idea how such things were found in the room that was meant to serve as a student sick room," he said.

The developments quickly acquired a political dimension, with BJP MLA Sudipta Das visiting the school and demanding a thorough investigation.

"I am mentally shattered. I cannot imagine that an educational institution could be turned into such a place," Das said after visiting the campus.

The BJP legislator alleged that the recovered cash could not be explained merely as school funds and demanded a deeper probe into its source.

"TMC is a curse for West Bengal. Crores of rupees have been recovered, and a bedroom-like setup has been found inside a school. I feel ashamed. I do not believe this money belongs solely to the school," he alleged.

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