Accident Deaths of Cancer Patients: How an MBBS Doctor made LAKHS with fake autopsies

According to information sought by the cops, the MBBS doctor involved in the racket has got Rs 1.5 lakh for each autopsy. The amount was sent to the doctor through a middleman identified the accused.

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana police's Special Task Force(STF) had recently unearthed an insurance scam pertinent to cancer and chronic disease patients. Investigations have now discovered the indulgence of an MBBS doctor of the civil hospital in the racket.

According to a recent media report, the doctor was allegedly paid an amount of Rs 1.5 lakh each for the autopsy of fake accident victims. Raids are being conducted by the Special Investigation Team(SIT) to round up the medical practitioner, who is suspected to have performed over a dozen fake autopsies.

The scam was busted earlier this month after Bharti AXA Life Insurance moved a complaint about fraud insurance claims wherein insurance claims were made for deceased cancer patients by "proving" their deaths to have been caused by accidents.

The accused Pawan Kumar Bhoria and his associates used to look out for terminal cancer patients or those suffering from chronic diseases. Later, they managed to regularly source details about these last stage cancer patients or those suffering from chronic diseases from PGIMS Rohtak or other referral hospitals.

Following this, the gang would manage to seek insurance policies in their names without any medical records of the patients being revealed to the insurance firms. Some of these firms include PNB Metlife, LIC, ICICI Lombard, HDFC Ergo, Edelweiss Tokio, Canara HSBC, Kotak Insurance, Max Life, Future Generali, Apollo Munich, Bajaj Allianz, and Aditya Birla Sunlife.

Soon after the death of the patient, they used their informers in the police to register investigation proceedings for accidental death. At this juncture, the gang sought from their medical associates to prepare fake post-mortem reports furnishing reason of death as an accident. The gang then filed claims from the insurance firms and received between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, depending on circumstances of each case. Strategically, the original medical records of the deceased were destroyed.

Presently, the STF has arrested the accused and his associates involved in the racket. They have been booked under various sections of cheating, fraud, impersonation and forgery at Sonipat's city police station.

Rounds of investigations revealed the modus operandi of the accused Pawan Kumar. The police learnt that before filing for the insurance claim, the accused would open a bank account in the name of the beneficiary. He would then give the account details to the insurance company. After the disbursement of the amount the accused and his associates would split the amount among themselves.

According to information sought by the cops, the doctor involved in the racket would getRs 1.5 lakh for each autopsy. The amount was sent to the doctor through a middleman identified the accused. SIT has recovered Rs 50,000 and Rs 3 lakh from two of the gang members including Pawan.

Shockingly, the son of a cancer patient, Sumit Kumar, who was also a part of the scam had explained the entire modus operandi.

DSP Shamsher Singh, the supervising officer of the SIT said that the accused, including Sumit Kumar who had lodged a fabricated FIR regarding the death of his father Krishan Kumar, have been remanded to judicial custody.

"We have got enough information from Bhoria's associates. We have made recoveries from Sumit and Pawan as well into the claim received by Sumit. Hence, except Pawan, we did not require other accused for further interrogation,'' DSP Singh told TOI.

Presently, the Sonipat court has extended the police remand of the accused kingpin Pawan Bhoria for four days.

Also Read: Maharashtra: High Court seeks guidelines for autopsies on Female Corpses