Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Bhubaneswar arrested an LIC agent Wednesday afternoon on charges of availing policies in the names of dead persons to the tune of Rs 1.18 crore.
The accused has been identified as Kabiraj Behera from Jhadakata area under Kanas police limits in Puri district. EOW PS case (No-12, dated 05.10.2021 U/s 420/467468/471/120-B IPC) has been registered and a detailed probe is underway, a senior official informed.
The arrested person was later forwarded to Khurda SDJM Court Thursday.
According to a source, the case was registered based on an FIR lodged by an authorised officer of LIC of India, Khurda Branch. It was alleged that fraudulent death claims were perpetrated by the accused Kabiraj by hatching conspiracy with nominees of dead persons.
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During initial probe, it was ascertained that Kabiraj has been working as LIC agent since 2003. The accused had fraudulently managed to obtain as many as 23 LIC policies in the names of four dead persons by falsely showing them as alive, in between 2013 to 2019.
Subsequently, after about three to five years of taking those policies, Kabiraj fabricated fake death certificates in the names of insured. Kabiraj used the fake death certificates and applied for policy claims in favour of the nominees in LIC’s Branch Office, Khurda.
It is pertinent to mention here that the insurance policies were availed on after dates of the actual death of insured persons. However, the premiums were being paid at regular intervals.
PNN