HC orders probe into forged life insurance policies, directs arrest of private firm official for failing to appear in court
Directs Moradabad SSP to ensure the official’s presence in the court on March 11
Directing the CJM, Moradabad, to issue an arrest warrant against the Branch Head, the High Court said: “On appearance, he will also show cause why contempt proceeding may not be initiated against him for deliberate non-compliance of the orders of this court.”
The Allahabad High Court has directed the Risk Management Committee Unit (RMCU) in New Delhi to conduct an inquiry into alleged forged policies issued to a person in Moradabad, who is on the deathbed, and the role of officials of a private life insurance company.
The bench of Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal, in its order issued on February 26, also directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Moradabad to issue an arrest warrant against the Branch Head of the private insurance firm for not appearing before the court despite a specific order.
The bench also directed Moradabad SSP to ensure the official’s presence in the court on the next date of hearing on March 11.
The bench issued the directive while hearing a bail application filed by one Nawab Ali, arrested for forgery. Ali allegedly took Rs 4.80 lakh out of the total maturity amount of Rs 9.60 lakh given to a woman after the death of her husband by the private life insurance firm. Ali had claimed that he had taken half of the sanctioned maturity amount as he had spent a large sum of money on the processing fee for the life insurance policy.
On February 18, the High Court had directed the Branch Manager/Head of a private insurance firm in Moradabad to appear before the court to inform whether they are charging money in the name of processing charge or other service charges.
However, when the matter was taken up on February 25, the concerned Branch Head of the private life insurance firm did not appear and instead sent a lawyer on his behalf.
The court, considering it an act of “disobedience”, directed the SSP Moradabad to ensure the presence of the insurance official the next day.
However, on February 26, Moradabad police produced the Head of Sales Department, who submitted that the Branch Head, who is also the Operations Manager, was not available.
Taking note of the absence of the branch head, the High Court said, “This is very serious that a person who was specifically directed by this Court kept on playing a hide and seek game instead of appearing before this court in compliance with the order of this court. It is also surprising that SSP, Moradabad, instead of verifying the fact that the court had specifically directed the Branch Head… ensured the appearance of some other officer, who is not concerned with this case and does not have complete information regarding the case in hand.”
Directing the CJM, Moradabad, to issue an arrest warrant against the Branch Head, the High Court said: “On appearance, he will also show cause why contempt proceeding may not be initiated against him for deliberate non-compliance of the orders of this court.”
The Bench stated that the concerned branch manager has to appear before the CJM for bail with the undertaking that he will appear on the next date, then the bail may be granted to him.
Stating that the court comes across a number of cases wherein the life insurance policy was issued to the person who is on death bed through middlemen, the High Court ordered, “…this court directs Vice President, Risk Management Committee Unit (RMCU), New Delhi to conduct enquiry in Moradabad region regarding such forged policies issued to the person who is already on the death bed and role of the officials of (the private insurance firm).”
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