Gujarat: CBI court sentences three to five years in jail for insurance fraud; fines them Rs 35 lakh

Ahmedabad, Jun 5 (PTI) A special CBI court in Ahmedabad on Thursday sentenced a former employee of United India Insurance and two others to five years rigorous imprisonment for claiming insurance through fraudulent means, officials said.

The three convicted person are then assistant of United India Insurance Company Ltd (UIICL) Silvassa branch Kikubhai Dhodi as well as private persons Vasantbhai Patel and Apurva Patel, a Central Bureau of Investigation release said, adding the three were also slapped with a cumulative fine of Rs 35.30 lakh.

They are accused of entering into a criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, using forged documents as genuine and causing financial loss to UIICL, said the release.

CBI had registered the instant case in December 2004 against these three and 17 others (public servants and private persons) for entering into criminal conspiracy and causing significant financial loss of about Rs 62 lakh to UIICL related to 10 fraudulent fire insurance claims.

The private persons submitted identical claims stating insured grass stock was destroyed by fire. The surveyors appointed to examine these claims submitted false reports fraudulently certifying that the claims were genuine, it said.

Investigation revealed that out of the 10 fire accident claims which were settled, only one was found to be fraudulently settled, which was related to grass fire accident claim at Maroli in Valsad district belonging to convict Vasant Patel to the tune of Rs. 8.97 lakh.

"The convict Apurva Patel conducted the survey and submitted the report. The insurance pay out was withdrawn using bearer cheques signed by Vasant K Patel, but the hand writing matched with Kikubhai Dhodi, an Assistant at UIICL in Silvassa and brother in law of the claimant. Investigation revealed that both the survey and inspection reports were fabricated," it said.

After investigation, a chargesheet was filed by CBI in December 2007 against five accused for the offence of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and criminal misconduct.

The court found merit in the charges against the accused Vasantbhai Patel, Apurva Patel and Kikubhai Dhodi, said the release. PTI PJT BNM