Maharashtra: 10 staffers of ICICI Lombard insurance company booked for duping farmers of Rs 3.95 crore in Akola

Akola: Ten employees of ICICI Lombard insurance company empanelled for the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in Maharashtra's Akola district were booked for duping farmers of Rs 3.95 crore by submitting false information about their crop losses, an official told UNI.

A complaint in this regard was lodged by District Agriculture Superintendent against the staff of ICICI Lombard insurance company.

An FIR was registered at Khadan police station on 21 March in Maharashtra's Akola .

As per the FIR, the company staffers prepared false panchnama reports, forged signatures of agriculture department officials to under-report the crop losses incurred due to unseasonal rains and other natural reasons and duped farmers to the tune of Rs 3,95,09,177.

The ICICI Lombard insurance company was appointed to implement the ‘Pradhan Mantri Crop Insurance Scheme’ in Akola district for the kharif season 2022-23.

Under this scheme, crop damage assessment is conducted in the presence of an agriculture department official, the affected farmers and a representative of the insurance company.

The panchnama report is considered admissible after all the participants sign on it.

The insurance amount paid by the company was less than the actual loss suffered by the farmers and the affected area was also under-reported, he said.

The 10 staffers were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 409 , 420 , 465, 467, 468 and 471 and 34, he added. (UNI)