CBI court sentences surveyor, partner in private firm to 5 years in jail for insurance fraud

Ahmedabad: A special CBI court in Ahmedabad in Gujarat has sentenced a surveyor and a partner of a private firm to five years rigorous imprisonment for claiming insurance through fraudulent means, officials said on Friday.

Charges against the third accused, the then senior divisional manager of New India Assurance Co. Ltd. (NIACL) in Navsari town, were abated as he died during the trial, a Central Bureau of Investigation release said.

"The special judge for CBI cases in Ahmedabad has sentenced Hasan Abu Soni, Partner of M/s. Marks Chemical, and one Sanjay Ramesh Chitre, a surveyor, to five years of rigorous imprisonment with a total fine of Rs 17.2 lakh. The CBI had registered a case in January 2003 against the accused trio and others for allegedly claiming insurance using forged documents," the release said.

It was alleged that the then senior divisional manager entered into a criminal conspiracy with other accused and sanctioned insurance claims based on forged documents, causing loss of 9.35 lakh the New India Assurance Co. Ltd. in two policies.

After completion of investigation, CBI filed chargesheets in June 2005 against the accused, said the release.

During the trial, 38 prosecution witnesses were examined and 255 documents were relied upon in support of the charges against the accused persons, who were charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery. it said.