MEERUT: Trilok Kumar died twice in six months, according to official records from two government institutions. His insurance payout was claimed twice as well.
Days after TOI uncovered an extensive insurance scam originating in Uttar Pradesh, amounting to hundreds of crores, where insurance agents, claims officials, panchayat authorities, doctors, and even bank staff colluded to insure the dying and sometimes the dead, investigators now say the fraud is more widespread than initially believed. Authorities are now investigating 12 states, up from the original eight, where they have arrested several suspects.
One case that highlights the depth of the scam involves Trilok Kumar in Delhi. The first time Kumar “died,” it was from cancer, as confirmed by records from the MCD and receipts from the Nigambodh Ghat cremation office in Delhi. Kumar, a resident of Shaktinagar, was cremated on June 19, 2024, with an official Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) document listing cancer as the cause of death. That should have been the end of his story— but it wasn’t.
Six months later, a new MCD death certificate surfaced, claiming Kumar had died on December 27, 2024, from cardiopulmonary arrest at Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital. The paperwork was impeccable— complete with stamps, seals, and signatures.
“You can’t admit a man who’s already dead, run medical tests on him, and then release his body—all in a single day,” said Sambhal ASP Anukriti Sharma, one of the lead investigators in a case that police in Uttar Pradesh are calling “one of the most calculated and ruthless insurance swindles” in recent memory.
A senior doctor at GB Pant Hospital explained, “When a patient arrives in the emergency, we don’t waste time on formalities. But if scammers persuade a patient to provide a false name in exchange for money, promising guaranteed treatment, there’s a chance the patient may comply.”
Sharma added, “Since PMJJBY doesn’t require thorough nominee verification, fraudsters took out multiple policies, waited 45 days, then forged death certificates to claim payouts. They used different names and exploited minimal checks.”
Sambhal SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi stated, “We have arrested 16 people, including women, so far.”
