Lucknow Family Faces FIR for Elaborate Pension Fraud Scheme
In a shocking case of financial deception, the Kaiserbagh police in Lucknow have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against five members of a single family. The accused are alleged to have orchestrated a sophisticated pension fraud by fabricating multiple death certificates of a retired Lucknow University employee. This fraudulent activity enabled them to illegally withdraw his pension benefits for nearly seven years following his actual demise.
Details of the Accused and the Complaint
The FIR was formally registered late on Thursday, marking the beginning of a formal police investigation. The individuals named in the report include Ram Bahadur, a resident of Kaiserbagh, along with his three sons—Abhishek, Vivek, and Vishal—and his brother, Chunnilal. The case stems from a detailed complaint filed by Ayush Kumar, a resident of Paharpur village under the Bakshi Ka Talab (BKT) area, who is the nephew of the deceased pensioner.
The Deceased Employee and the Alleged Fraud Timeline
According to the official complaint, the victim, Putt Lal, served as a class-IV employee in the physics department of Lucknow University. He retired from his position in 2002 and tragically passed away on December 23, 2017. Despite his death, the accused allegedly manipulated official records to falsely show Putt Lal as alive until the year 2023. This prolonged misrepresentation formed the basis of their illicit pension withdrawals.
Mechanics of the Alleged Fraudulent Scheme
The complainant, Ayush Kumar, provided specific allegations outlining how the fraud was executed. He stated that Ram Bahadur, in collusion with his sons, systematically misrepresented his own brother, Chunnilal, as the deceased pensioner, Putt Lal. The accused are said to have taken Chunnilal's thumb impressions on various pension-related documents, thereby fraudulently authorizing continued pension disbursements. It is important to note that Chunnilal, described as illiterate, was allegedly misled into participating in this scheme without full awareness of its criminal nature.
This elaborate deception allowed the family to continue withdrawing pension funds for years, relying entirely on forged and falsified records. The fraudulent withdrawals persisted until the scheme eventually unraveled.
Unraveling of the Fraud and University Investigation
The turning point came when Chunnilal himself reportedly became aware of the alleged fraud. Upon realizing his role in the deception, he submitted a formal affidavit to Lucknow University, clarifying his actual identity and disassociating himself from the impersonation of Putt Lal. This affidavit prompted immediate action from the university's administration.
In response, Lucknow University's pension department constituted a dedicated inquiry team to investigate the discrepancies. The team's investigation conclusively confirmed that Putt Lal had indeed died several years earlier, in 2017, thereby exposing the long-running fraud. The findings of this internal university inquiry provided the crucial evidence needed to pursue legal action.
Police Action and Ongoing Investigation
Armed with the university's inquiry report and the complainant's allegations, Ayush Kumar formally approached the Kaiserbagh police station. Following a review of the evidence, the police registered an FIR against all five accused individuals, initiating a full-scale criminal investigation.
Inspector Anjani Mishra, the in-charge of the Kaiserbagh police station, confirmed the registration of the case and the commencement of the investigation. The police are now tasked with uncovering the full extent of the fraud, including the total financial loss incurred and the specific methods used to forge the death certificates and other documents. This case highlights significant vulnerabilities in pension verification processes and underscores the need for stricter oversight to prevent similar financial crimes in the future.
