The Orissa High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into multiple fake motor accident cases with insurance claims running to the tune of Rs 5 crore in Keonjhar district dating back to six years.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Crime Branch police had earlier taken up the investigation of fake accident cases. However, nothing tangible had come out of it as the local police and medical practitioners had connived with the claimants.

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All the five accidents, for which claims were placed before the ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited, Bhubaneswar, occurred within a span of one year. One Keshab Chandra Mahanta of Dumurinali village under Pandapada police station in Keonjhar district has been arrayed as the accused driver in all the cases. The driving license of the accused driver was still valid instead of being cancelled. The Insurance Company also noted that the accused driver had been arrested thrice within a period of one month. As many as five motor accident claim cases are pending in a court in Keonjhar since 2016. The Company had every reason to believe that the claimants were filing false cases by implanting the same driver and apprehending that there were fraud claims to misappropriate crores of rupees of public money, the counsel representing the Insurance Company submitted before the Court.

“It is highly improbable that only one driver caused so many accidents within a span of 12 months which resulted in death of 4 persons as well as grievous and simple hurts to others which appeared to have been arranged by the Investigating Officers. The C.I.D., Crime Branch had sought for initiation of necessary legal action against the erring public servants such as the Investigating Officer and the Medical Officer and persons who have filed Motor Accident Claim Tribunal Case for wrongful gain”, Crime Branch stated in a report.

It is clear that Police Officers were hand in gloves with the claimants in facilitating grabbing of insurance money which is public money. Since the Investigating Officers were involved, it can safely be presumed that in spite of repeated communications from C.I.D., Crime Branch to the Superintendent of Police, no action was taken for further investigation in the matter.

Fabricated medical documents for claiming compensation, fraudulent implantation of vehicle, claimant implantation and false implantation of driver were furnished to grab the false claim. Forged and fabricated medical examination reports have been entertained by the police enabling the injured persons to claim insurance to the tune of lakhs of rupees. The Company further submitted that the total claim amounts of the cases are to the tune of Rs 5.01 crore.

“Therefore, considering the scale, magnitude and complexity of the crime, this Court is of the opinion that the State police are not in a position to carry out a fair and truthful investigation. The CBI is well equipped with the requisite skill to unearth the conspiracy and money trailing aspect of the crime. Therefore, this Court directs that the cases be handed over to the CBI for investigation in the interest of justice in exercise of its inherent powers and in the spirit of the apex Court’s judgment”, Justice Dr. S.K. Panigrahi ruled.