UMERKOTE: The Nabarangpur Labour department has busted a major racket where middlemen grabbed welfare funds by declaring living construction workers dead. Officials have seized 101 fake death certificates across three blocks - 42 from Nabarangpur and 59 from Papadahandi and Kosagumuda combined.
An investigation has been ordered after the fraud came to light. The scamsters exploited the welfare scheme meant for construction workers that provides `3 lakh assistance to families of deceased workers. Middlemen have been found to have collected Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks and other documents from workers, then filed online applications using forged death certificates to claim benefits. Once the assistance was deposited in the bank accounts, they withdrew the same.
In one such case, brokers manipulated the genuine death certificate of Sanai Jani from Patramunda village, replacing the name with Kartik Gouda of Sindhigaon, who is alive. Similarly, the death certificate of Rupadhar Amanatya of Karluguda village was altered to claim benefits in the name of worker Kumari Bhatra from Mantriguda village. Bhatra is alive. The scam also targeted labourers Sanu Bhatra and Raghunath Gouda, falsely declaring them dead.
Following the department’s suspicion, the labour department asked chief district medical officer to investigate 42 death certificates over a two year period. The district health department’s probe confirmed all 42 death certificates from Nabarangpur block were fraudulent.
District labour officer Chhotray Tudu said, investigation is underway and appropriate action would be taken against those involved in this fraud. He said stricter measures, including mandatory field visits and hospital report will be verified before issuing death certificates and after confirmation, the assistance would be released.