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Photos: An insurance fraud that preyed on disease, poverty and desperation
Between 2017 and 2019, nearly hundred people from villages in Haryana officially died in road accidents and many insurance agencies operating in the area began to suspect a suspicious trend. A Haryana-based gang allegedly identified terminal cancer patients from rural, low-income backgrounds, got them to insure themselves with multiple companies by hiding their condition, waited for them to die, and then put their dead bodies through accidents.
Updated on: May 16, 2019 5:24 PM IST
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A view of Regional Cancer Centre of PGIMS (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Science) at Rohtak, in Haryana. In 2015, the scam began with the mastermind buying the records of last-stage cancer patients and details of patients going through the last stage of throat cancer, from the computer operator. “The gang paid between ₹10,000 and ₹15,000 per file to the operator at PGIMS, Rohtak,” said director general of police Satheesh Balan. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)
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The doctors who performed autopsies looked away from the obvious signs of cancer and mentioned in their reports only the presence of accident injuries, as presented by the police, as the cause of death. Officers at several police stations in Jhajjar, Sonepat, and Hisar helped the gang show the patients deaths as accidental on paper in FIRs and in autopsies. Family members also helped them file false FIRs and insurance claims. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)
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The mastermind of the scam Pawan Kumar Bhoria (C) and his gang kept a part of the insured sum, between ₹8 lakh and ₹20 lakh in each case, and distributed the rest among partners in crime. At least 100 people have been accused of being complicit in the scam that allegedly carried on for two years, executed nearly a 100 cases, and cheated more than 25 insurance companies of over ₹100 crore. (HT Photo)
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“My nephew did as he was told by Pawan, which was to call him up after the death of his father and to bring his body to Sonepat Civil Hospital where he had already managed to show it as an accidental death in collaboration with the doctor and the police,” said Mukesh Mann, a farmer in Ballah village. His nephew, a student at the local Industrial Training Institute, was arrested by STF for filing a false FIR about his father’s death. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)
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![Balwan Dhull, a Bhagwatipur resident whose neighbour died last year. “Ajit was diagnosed with cancer two or three years before his death. His treatment was going on in PGIMS Rohtak” said Dhull. He said he saw Singh shortly before the latter took his last breath. We were called to the mortuary to identify it. [This time] his body had injuries from head to chest.” “Paise bana rahe the [they were making money off it].” (Leena Dhankhar / HT Photo)](https://images.hindustantimes.com/rf/image_size_630x354/HT/p2/2019/05/16/Pictures/conducted-stitched-available-explaining-bhagwatipur-neighbour-hospital_6fd23324-77c2-11e9-9073-657a85982e73.JPG "Balwan Dhull, a Bhagwatipur resident whose neighbour died last year. “Ajit was diagnosed with cancer two or three years before his death. His treatment was going on in PGIMS Rohtak” said Dhull. He said he saw Singh shortly before the latter took his last breath. We were called to the mortuary to identify it. [This time] his body had injuries from head to chest.” “Paise bana rahe the [they were making money off it].” (Leena Dhankhar / HT Photo)")
View Photos in a new improved layoutUpdated on May 16, 2019 5:24 PM
Balwan Dhull, a Bhagwatipur resident whose neighbour died last year. “Ajit was diagnosed with cancer two or three years before his death. His treatment was going on in PGIMS Rohtak” said Dhull. He said he saw Singh shortly before the latter took his last breath. We were called to the mortuary to identify it. [This time] his body had injuries from head to chest.” “Paise bana rahe the [they were making money off it].” (Leena Dhankhar / HT Photo)
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Currently the seven-member gang are facing charges under section 201 (destruction of evidence), 205 (false personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution), 34 (common intention), 420 (fraud), 464 (making a false document), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and 471 (using forged document) of the Indian Penal Code at Civil Lines police station in Sonepat. (HT Photo)
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