Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases, B L Bhat today awarded one year imprisonment and fine of Rs 50000 to P N Koul, the then Manager (Claims) DO Cell, LIC Jammu (UPS-1), Urmilla Devi, wife of late Vinod Kumar of Madhya Pradesh and Param Satbir Singh, the then Higher Grade Assistant LIC Branch Office Kathua in corruption case.
According to the CBI case, on May 28, 1998 the accused persons entered into a criminal conspiracy and got an insurance policy issued from LIC Kathua on the name of non-existing person namely Puran Singh. On November 25, 1999 a bogus insurance claim to the tune of Rs 1,02,530 was paid through cheque in the name of Urmila Devi on the basis of fake death certificate and other documents mentioning that Puran Singh had died in a bomb blast on October 22, 1998.
During the investigation, it came to fore that proposal for insurance in the name of non-existing person Puran Singh was submitted by LIC agent Swarn Singh. The particulars of the fictitious proposal were given as Puran Singh, son of late Dev Singh of Chhatri Ka Pura, Subash Nagar Morena MP and accused Urmilla Devi as nominee (mother).
After hearing Senior Public Prosecutor CBI SK Bhat, Special Judge Anticorruption CBI Cases observed, “corruption has eaten in to the vitals of society. In recent times it has assumed menacing proportions hardly sparing any sphere of life. Insurance sector is no exception. However, the crime of bribery becomes more despicable when the fence starts eating the crop”.
With these observations, the Court awarded one year imprisonment and fine of Rs 50,000 to P N Koul, Urmilla Devi and Param Satbir Singh under Section 120-B RPC read with Sections 419,420,468,471 RPC and 5(2) read with 5(1) (d) of Jammu & Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act.
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