Sambhal Police Seize Rs 12 Crore Assets in Major Insurance Fraud Crackdown
Sambhal police have taken decisive action against a notorious insurance fraud gang. They have initiated procedures to attach assets worth approximately Rs 12 crore. This move targets three primary accused under the stringent Gangster Act.
Uncovering Vast Illicit Wealth
Investigators delved deep into the financial records of the gang's key leaders. Their findings revealed massive wealth accumulated through criminal enterprises. Authorities identified Sachin Sharma as holding illegal assets exceeding Rs 9 crore. His associates, Gaurav Sharma and Omkareshwar Mishra, possessed several crores worth of properties obtained unlawfully.
On January 7, 2026, the Sambhal district magistrate issued a crucial order. The directive mandated the immediate attachment of these properties. This legal step aims to cripple the financial backbone of the criminal operation.
Widespread Fraud Operation Exposed
This criminal network had a vast operational footprint. They conducted activities across twelve different states. Their primary method involved targeting innocent individuals. The gang would secure insurance policies in the names of these unsuspecting people. Later, they fraudulently diverted the claim payouts for their own benefit.
"We have registered more than 25 First Information Reports since the investigation started in January last year," stated Sambhal Additional SP Anukriti Sharma, the lead investigator. "We booked and arrested 70 accused persons. Chargesheets under the Gangster Act were filed against 25 of them. Currently, properties belonging to three key accused—Sachin Sharma, Gaurav Sharma, and Omkareshwar Mishra—with a total value of Rs 11.87 crore have been attached."
The case first gained significant attention following a TOI report on February 8, 2025. That report, titled "Insuring the dying & the dead -- Multi-crore scam running for 7 years," exposed the fraud. Subsequent stories detailed the massive racket, which involved over Rs 100 crore. This media scrutiny prompted the Enforcement Directorate to take up the case in May 2025.
Execution Across Multiple Districts
The property attachment process is now actively underway. Authorities are executing these orders in several districts including:
- Sambhal
- Budaun
- Varanasi
- Gautam Buddha Nagar
Receivers have already been appointed to manage the seized holdings. This ensures proper custody and legal handling of the attached assets.
Elaborate Criminal Methods Revealed
Additional SP Sharma detailed the gang's sophisticated operations. "Since busting the racket in January last year, we uncovered multiple modus operandi," she explained. "Their schemes ranged from purchasing insurance policies in the names of terminally ill people without their knowledge. They also took out policies on already deceased individuals by obtaining fake death certificates. Then they siphoned off the policy payouts through unethical means."
The investigation uncovered even more sinister tactics. "In several cases, we found murders being passed off as accidents," Sharma revealed. "The victims were covered under hefty insurance policies. Claim amounts were taken out shortly after their deaths."
This extensive fraud required a network of collaborators. The probe identified the involvement of:
- Bank employees
- Hospital staff
- ASHA workers
- Other individuals who colluded with the gang
Investigators also found evidence of Aadhaar detail tampering. This was done to fraudulently avail benefits under government schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana.
The Initial Breakthrough
The entire investigation traces back to a critical interception on January 17 last year. Uttar Pradesh police stopped an SUV in the Rajpura area of Sambhal. Two men inside the vehicle, including Omkareshwar Mishra, could not provide a satisfactory explanation. Police discovered lakhs of rupees, 19 debit cards, and various identity cards in their possession. This suspicious find triggered the extensive probe that followed.
The police action represents a significant blow to organized financial crime in the region. It demonstrates a committed effort to dismantle criminal networks and recover illicit gains.
