Ex-army official, wife booked for faking death, claiming ₹3 lakh insurance in Delhi

A former Indian Army official and his wife faked his death to claim ₹3 lakh from the Army Group Insurance Fund, leading to a police investigation.

New Delhi:A former Indian Army official and his wife cheated the Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) by staging the official’s death and claiming insurance money, said Delhi Police officials on Wednesday.

The retired colonel alleged that a former Indian Army sepoy faked his death on paper and cheated the organisation for years.

A case was registered against the couple and another person after a retired lieutenant colonel from AGIF filed a complaint against them at the Vasant Vihar police station.

According to the FIR lodged last Friday, the retired colonel alleged that a former Indian Army sepoy faked his death on paper and cheated the organisation for years.

The former official, identified as Akhilesh Kumar, served as a sepoy in the Bihar Regiment from 1998 to 2010. Police said that since Kumar served only 12 years, he was not eligible for service pension.

In November 2011, his wife Gyanti Devi approached the group insurance fund headquarters in Vasant Vihar. “He had nominated Gyanti Devi as a nominee and Deepak Kumar, son, as a contingent nominee to receive extended insurance benefits, amounting to ₹3,00,000,” the FIR read.

Police said that Gyanti submitted original extended insurance (EI) certificate and other documents that appeared original, stating that her husband died on September 17, 2011 due to electrocution.

The organisation did not immediately release the amount. In October 2012, she submitted additional documents including death certificate signed by the village sarpanch of gram panchayat of their village in Kako, Jehanabad

The FIR added that she also submitted an affidavit, indemnity bond, family details and bank details in May 2013.

Based on these documents, police said the organisation released extended insurance benefits of ₹3 lakh to Gyanti in June 2013 and also paid ₹21,000 interest for the late payment.

The complainant said they had informed Jehanabad police in Bihar about the case. “The organisation later found that Kumar was alive and living in Bihar. A police official cross-checked the documents with local staff and found Kumar was still alive. The Jehanabad SP conducted a probe which confirmed the same,” said a senior police officer.

The complainant said Kumar, his wife and former village sarpanch Sohan Pandit worked in connivance to cheat the organisation. Police said the FIR has been lodged and legal action will be taken against them.

Police also found that the sepoy was discharged from service in October 2010 under Army Rule 13(3) III (V) because his service was no longer required. The rule states administrative discharge of personnel with an unsatisfactory service record due to factors like excessive Red Ink Entries or habitual absenteeism.