Arrested recently for allegedly plotting to commit insurance fraud worth ₹39 crore, a Meerut man was now under probe to determine if he orchestrated the deaths of his family members to claim hefty payouts, police officials said.
Police were now seeking detailed records from insurance companies that had issued accident policies to Vishal Kumar (35). Meanwhile, the officials said that Vishal committed financial irregularities, and the money obtained from them was being used to pay the insurance premiums.
An investigation revealed that Vishal had secured over 64 accident death policies in the name of his father, Mukesh Singhal, whose death in March last year brought the alleged fraud to light recently, the officials added.
Vishal and his associate Satish Kumar were arrested for conspiring to claim insurance payouts worth ₹39 crore despite Mukesh’s declared annual income being only ₹12 lakh to ₹15 lakh.
A senior police officer said the probe has widened after earlier inquiries revealed a disturbing pattern: in 2017, Vishal’s mother, Prabha Devi, died in a road accident while travelling with him, resulting in an insurance payout of ₹80 lakh. Years ago, his wife’s death, too, was followed by a ₹30 lakh claim. Officers suspect that both incidents may have been deliberately staged.
“Details have been sought from insurance companies regarding all policies issued in Vishal’s father’s name. The reasons behind Mukesh Singhal’s death are being investigated in detail,” inspector Devendra Bisht confirmed.
{{/usCountry}}“Details have been sought from insurance companies regarding all policies issued in Vishal’s father’s name. The reasons behind Mukesh Singhal’s death are being investigated in detail,” inspector Devendra Bisht confirmed.
{{/usCountry}}It was also found out that Vishal lured people with promises of 15 per cent returns on certain investments, which were also being probed. In 2024, before his death, four luxury cars were financed in Mukesh’s name, raising further questions about the family’s financial dealings.
ASP Vineet Bhatnagar said that police were examining whether Vishal deliberately insured close relatives before their suspicious deaths, portraying them as accidents to secure payouts. Vishal has been charged with cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 318(4), 336(3), 338, 340(2) and 61(2).