Kaithal cops book 24 for using fake papers to claim medical aid

THE ACCUSED HAD FAKED ILNESSES SUCH AS CANCER, KIDNEY AILMENTS ETC TO CLAIM AID TO THE TUNE OF ₹93 LAKH; THE AMOUNT, HOWEVER, HAD NOT BEEN DISBURSED YET

KARNAL: Kaithal police have booked 24 people, including 15 women, for allegedly producing false papers to claim compensation to the tune of ₹93 lakh under the chief minister’s relief fund.

The accused were booked following an investigation by the chief medical officer, who found that they had produced fake documents of critical illnesses such as cancer, heart attack and kidney failure.

Police say the accused, most of whom are labourers, have been booked under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security, will), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471(using as genuine a forged document) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Kaithal CMO Dr Surender Nain said that the Kaithal deputy commissioner had assigned him the task of carrying out the verification of patients making claims for the chief minister relief fund in June this year. During investigation, he found that their documents were fake.

He said that 24 people used fake documents to the tune of ₹92.95 lakh from the government claiming to be suffering from critical illnesses. On whether there is a racket behind this as most of the accused are labourers from the district, the CMO said, “The possibility of racket cannot be ruled out but we are investigating the matter.”

He said that some people even used bogus medical reports from hospitals, which do not exist and forwarded their applications for the claims.

When contacted Kaithal police superintendent (SP) Astha Modi said an FIR has been registered and probe has started. “However, the money had not been transferred to the beneficiaries yet but the involvement of more people cannot be ruled out,” said the SP.