Odisha: LIC Agent Involved in Fraudulent Death Claims Arrested

Bhubaneswar: A LIC agent was arrested by the Economic Offences Wing, Bhubaneswar for availing fake claims worth Rs 1.18 crores in the names of dead persons.

The accused has been identifed as Kabiraj Behera, a resident of Jhadakata under Kanasa Police Station in Puri.

The authorized officer of LIC of India, Khordha Branch lodged a complaint with the EOW alleging fraudulent death claims perpetrated by Kabiraj in conspiracy with nominees of deceased persons.

During investigation, it is being revealed that accused Kabiraj Behera had been working as a LIC agent since year-2003. During the year 2013 to 2019, he had fraudulently managed to get/take 23 numbers of LIC policies in the names of four dead persons, falsely showing them as alive.

After about 3 to 5 years of taking those policies, he contrived to manufacture fake death certificates in the names of insured persons. By using those fake death certificates as genuine, accused Kabiraj Behera applied for death claims in favour of the nominees in the LIC Branch Office, Khordha and attempted to avail the financial benefits/death claims against those 23 policies.

While the insurance policies were taken subsequent to the actual death of insured persons, premium was being paid regularly.

“In all the policies, the sum assured were kept less than Rs 10 lakhs, which comes well within the financial power to settle the death benefits by the Branch manager, without referring to the Divisional Office. But the total amount of claims raised by the nominees of 23 policies through the accused was more than Rs 1.81 crore, and against five policies, the LIC of India had released payments,” the EOW said.