In a shocking case of fraud and official negligence, the Belagavi City Corporation issued a death certificate for a woman who is very much alive, allegedly to help her husband fraudulently claim insurance money worth ₹23 lakh, reports the Sakal.
The woman’s husband, a resident of Nazar Camp, Vadgaon, had submitted an application for her death certificate, which the CCB processed without proper verification. Using the certificate, he filed a claim with an insurance company. While the initial claim was approved, a second compensation application triggered suspicion, prompting the insurer to investigate.
With the help of the police, it was discovered that the woman was alive. The man even made a video call during the inquiry, confirming her existence. The insurance company, although it had sanctioned ₹23 lakh, withheld the payout due to the discrepancies, effectively averting the fraud.
The matter came to light after insurance officials and police met Municipal Commissioner Shubha B. The Commissioner was reportedly shocked and instructed Health Officer Dr. Sanjeev Nandre, under whose supervision the certificate was issued, to file a police complaint. A formal complaint has been lodged at Shahapur Police Station, but a case is yet to be registered.
Preliminary findings suggest involvement of an employee from the Vadgaon crematorium, who allegedly accepted ₹50,000 to facilitate the false documentation. A female health inspector from the Nazar Camp division is also under scrutiny for issuing the mandatory no-objection certificate without proper verification.
This incident has triggered major concern within the CCB, reviving memories of previous irregularities, including fake birth certificates issued to Bangladeshi nationals and another case where a fraudulent death certificate was used in a land dispute near the DC’s office.