Mumbai, June 30: In a startling revelation from Mumbai's Bhayander area, a complex insurance fraud has come to light involving a woman who allegedly faked her death twice within a span of two years. Kanchan Rai, also known by the alias Pavitra, reportedly orchestrated the scheme, leading multiple insurance companies to disburse a total of INR 69 lakh in claims. Suspicion arose when discrepancies in documents and claimant details came to light during routine audits, prompting insurers to alert law enforcement. The investigation has now widened to include possible collusion between insurance firms and municipal authorities.

According to a report by the Times of India, the sequence of events unfolded following an intensive audit by a firm on January 30 this year, discrepancies emerged in insurance claims linked to Kanchan Rai's alleged death from cardiac respiratory arrest on October 11, 2021. Dhanraj, her son, successfully claimed INR 20.4 lakh from one insurer, with another company settling an INR 25 lakh claim to him as the nominee. These transactions raised suspicions due to identical claimant details and differing insured names at the same address. Insurance Fraud in Mumbai: IT Company Duped of Rs 40 Lakh in Insurance Policy Scam by 'Shot Format' Firm, Director Samrat Sengupta Arrested.

Further scrutiny revealed a complex web of deceit involving Kanchan alias Pavitra, who had allegedly secured multiple insurance policies using varied personal identification details. On October 20, 2023, a second suspicious death under the name Pavitra was reported, with Rohit, her husband, receiving INR 24.2 lakh as the policy's nominee. The insurance companies, after becoming aware of inconsistencies, initiated a collaborative investigation, which highlighted Kanchan's purported involvement in a scheme utilising falsified death certificates and fraudulent documentation to claim insurance payouts. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Accountant Cheats Office of Rs One Crore, Loses It All in ‘Double Your Money’ Scheme; Probe Launched.

The investigation, led by Bhayander police, uncovered systemic irregularities involving multiple insurance firms and municipal authorities. Authorities suspect the existence of a broader network facilitating such fraudulent activities. As the case unfolds, efforts are underway to locate the absconding accused, i.e., Kanchan and her accomplices, with charges including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery being pursued against them.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 30, 2024 11:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).