HYDERABAD: Days after The New Indian Express carried a report on an insurance fraud victim from Nagarkurnool district coming all the way to the DGP’s office here to complain against the local police for not registering a case, director-general of police Anurag Sharma on Monday directed district superintendent of police Kalmeshwar Singanevar to register a case and start investigation.
Following the DGP’s directive, Lingala police visited Appayapally village where the victim’s family members reside and stopped the efforts of the village sarpanch and others to work out a compromise. The agents have allegedly consented to give ` 6 lakh to the family of the deceased.
Anurag Sharma told Express that `10 lakh was withdrawn by insurance agents without the knowledge of the members of the family of the deceased person. “I instructed Nagarkurnool SP to take immediate action against the agents who duped the victims belonging to the tribal community,” the DGP said, adding that he also directed the SPs of other districts to interact with members of the public and accept complaints.
It may be recalled that 65-year Katravath Niranjan of Appayapally in Lingala police limits in Nagarkurnool, has three sons and two daughters. His elder son Katravath Lalu (45) died due to ill health in June last year.
Before Lalu’s death, two insurance agents, Karnakota Raju and Syamsunder, approached the family and convinced them to take a policy in the name of Lalu. After Lalu’s death, the insurance agents obtained a death certificate stating the Lalu died in September 2016 and applied for insurance from two companies, Aviva Life Insurance and Future Generali.
In March 2017, `5 lakh insurance amount was credited to Niranjan’s account from Aviva Life Insurance by NEFT and `4.85 lakh was credited from Future Generali by RTGS on March 31. However, Niranjan was not aware of the amount credited to his account.
The two agents paid `80,000 to Niranjan and took two cheques from him drawn in their favour. While Raju withdrew `4.5 lakh from Axis Bank (cheque No.115286), Syamsunder withdrew `5.10 lakh (cheque No. 115285) without the knowledge of Niranjan.
The insurance fraud came to light after the insurance companies sent letters to Niranjan informing that the insurance amounts were credited to his account. As the agents refused to return the amount, Lokya Naik, brother of Lalu, approached the Lingala police but they refused to register the complaint.Later, the complainant went to the state capital to meet the DGP and lodge a complaint against the Lingala police.