Termite-infested cash notes worth lakhs found in 'storeroom' at Kolkata's Surendranath College; BJP says location TMC's Student office
The cash was uncovered during a campus clean-up drive conducted in compliance with a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) directive aimed at dengue prevention
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On Tuesday, June 3, two suitcases containing large amounts of cash, much of it severely damaged by termites, were discovered in a locked storeroom at Surendranath College, Kolkata. The locked storeroom was reportedly the TMC Student Council office, as stated by the BJP. Following the discovery, college authorities notified the police, who also recovered a firearm from the institution’s locked union room. A formal complaint was subsequently filed with the Muchipara Police Station.
The discovery quickly sparked political controversy. Local BJP workers and several college staff members alleged that Debashish Banerjee, a former governing body member and prominent Trinamool Congress leader, along with his associates, exerted significant influence over the college’s affairs. Jafor Ali Akhan, principal of the evening section, claimed there had been multiple irregularities within the institution but said that no action could be taken due to an atmosphere of fear.
But Banerjee denied the allegations. “All these allegations are false, and it is an attempt to malign my party’s image as well as mine. I do not know the money. The college authorities can answer it better,” he said.
BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh recently alleged large-scale corruption linked to a former Trinamool-run union and fundraising on the pretext of the college fest. He sought a probe in a letter sent last week.
According to a college official, the cash was uncovered during a campus clean-up drive conducted in compliance with a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) directive aimed at dengue prevention.
After finding the money, staff members, accompanied by the principals of both the day and evening sections, forced open two additional locked rooms located on the fifth floor of a newly constructed campus building. The rooms, each equipped with attached washrooms, were reportedly furnished with beds, almirahs, tables, and chairs. Their existence raised concerns regarding their intended use, particularly because the building had originally been constructed to address a shortage of classrooms. Purnendu Prakash Pal, teacher-in-charge of the day section, expressed surprise that the space had been converted into furnished rooms rather than being used for academic purposes.
Pal explained that the 'storeroom' where the money was found was situated at the rear of the campus and had remained largely unused for years. During the clean-up operation, staff members were unable to locate the key and eventually broke open the lock. Upon entering, they discovered two suitcases filled with damaged currency notes and immediately informed the local police. He further noted that the area was prone to annual flooding, which may have contributed to the room remaining unopened for an extended period.
कोलकाता के सुरेंद्रनाथ कॉलेज के TMC छात्र परिषद दफ्तर में मिले दीमक लगे लाखों रुपये के नोट!
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 3, 2026
ये नोटों में लगी दीमक नहीं, बल्कि बंगाल के भविष्य को अंदर ही अंदर 15 साल से खोखला कर रही TMC की सियासी दीमक का जीता-जागता सबूत है। 🔴🔽 pic.twitter.com/ykbfAlxSzs
Police officials stated that most of the recovered Rs 100 and Rs 500 notes had been damaged by termites. They also confirmed that some of the Rs 500 notes belonged to the series introduced after the 2016 demonetisation. The cash was seized, and an investigation was launched.
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The discovery quickly sparked political controversy. Local BJP workers and several college staff members alleged that Debashish Banerjee, a former governing body member and prominent Trinamool Congress leader, along with his associates, exerted significant influence over the college’s affairs. Jafor Ali Akhan, principal of the evening section, claimed there had been multiple irregularities within the institution but said that no action could be taken due to an atmosphere of fear.
But Banerjee denied the allegations. “All these allegations are false, and it is an attempt to malign my party’s image as well as mine. I do not know the money. The college authorities can answer it better,” he said.
BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh recently alleged large-scale corruption linked to a former Trinamool-run union and fundraising on the pretext of the college fest. He sought a probe in a letter sent last week.