Son drew dead lecturer’s pension for 16 yrs; recovery notice issued
As per records, the lecturer would have been 105 yrs old had he been alive, but the person submitting his life certificate was 60 years. It was found that he was the deceased’s son, says officer
LUCKNOW Pension of a retired Baduan inter college lecturer was withdrawn for nearly 16 years after his death in 2008 by his son who kept drawing the amount every month from the bank account operational in the name of the deceased, said Bareilly chief treasury officer (CTO) Shailesh Kumar.
Over ₹60.89 lakh was released as pension in the name of the lecturer, Sohan Lal Sharma, who died on September 19, 2008. This happened without crosschecking credentials of his son.
“We have issued a recovery notice of ₹74,66,149 (calculated with interest generated during these years) to the beneficiary. The state treasury office and the Bareilly district magistrate have been informed about the matter and requested to provide guidance how to further proceed in the case,” the CTO informed.
He said the anomaly came to light during crosschecking of pensioners when a newly recruited desk assistant at the treasury office reported it to authorities after suspicion while processing the annual life certification of pensioners in September 2024.
Another treasury official said the pensioner, Sohan Lal Sharma, retired as lecturer from a Badaun inter college, and died at the age of 89 in September 19, 2008, but his bank account remained operational and his pension was being released from the treasury till September 2024. The desk assistant suspected foul play when a person came to submit the annual life certificate of Sohan Lal Sharma.
“As per records, Sohan Lal Sharma would have been 105 years old had he been alive, but the person submitting his life certificate was 60 years. It was found that he was Umesh Bhardwaj. the pensioner’s son. He even accepted this during detailed inquiry,” he added.
During inquiry by the treasury office, it was found that Umesh Bhardwaj kept withdrawing the pension amount for years in connivance with some clerical staff of the treasury office. The bank account in the name of his father remained operational for so long through fraudulent KYC, said the officer.
In response to the recovery notice, Umesh Bhardwaj has already deposited around ₹5 lakh and given more time to deposit the balance. Authorities have been asked to initiate further proceedings in the matter, he added.
A state treasury officer in Lucknow, however, said that criminal proceedings should also be initiated against the clerks and staff of the Bareilly treasury office, who the fraudulent practice for so many years. He said the involvement of clerks and bank officials could not be ruled out as they could also have been benefitted by the anomaly.