Bhopal, July 27 - Cheques given by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to beneficiaries of marriage and medical aid bounced after an official stopped the payment, a Congress leader said Monday.

Ajay Singh told the assembly that the chief minister had announced maternity, marriage and medical aid to 324 construction labourers May 28 when he inspected Gulab Sagar Dam Project in Sidhi district.

Chouhan gave cheques of Rs.5,000 each, with signature of Sidhi's labour officer, to two labourers and asked the others to collect the cheques from the labour office, Ajay Singh said.

When the labourers went to encash the cheques, they were told that deputy labour commissioner had put a stay on the payment, the Congress legislator said.

Minister of State for Labour Karan Singh Verma denied this and said the beneficiaries later got cheques of other banks and these were encashed.