UIICL Assistant sent to 5 years Jail in Insurance Fraud Case

A special CBI court in Ahmedabad has sentenced three individuals to five years of rigorous imprisonment for their involvement in a criminal conspiracy that caused financial loss to United India Insurance Company Ltd. (UIICL). The convicted people include:

• Kikubhai S. Dhodi, Assistant at UIICL’s Silvasa branch,
• Vasantbhai K. Patel, a private individual, and
• Apurva Patel, a surveyor and private person.

The court has also imposed a combined fine of ₹35.30 lakh:

• ₹17.10 lakh on Kikubhai Dhodi,
• ₹13.10 lakh on Vasantbhai Patel,
• ₹5.10 lakh on Apurva Patel.

The Story of Insurance Fraud

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed the case on December 31, 2004, against the three accused and 17 other individuals, including public servants and private persons. The investigation was related to 10 fire insurance claims made to UIICL. These claims were suspected to be fraudulent.

According to the complaint, private individuals falsely claimed that grass stock had been destroyed by fire and submitted identical claims for compensation. Surveyors appointed by the insurance company allegedly submitted false reports, falsely certifying these claims as genuine.

While ten claims were initially flagged, the CBI investigation confirmed that only one claim, related to a fire accident at Maroli in Valsad district, was found to be fraudulent. This particular claim was made by Vasantbhai Patel, who received ₹8,97,300 from UIICL.

The insurance payment was withdrawn using bearer cheques, which were allegedly signed by Vasantbhai Patel. However, handwriting analysis revealed the signature matched that of Kikubhai Dhodi, the Assistant at UIICL and brother-in-law of the claimant.

Apurva Patel, who had prepared the survey report for the fire incident, was also found guilty of submitting a forged and fabricated document. Both the survey and inspection reports were proven to be fake.

Legal Action

Following its investigation, the CBI filed a chargesheet on December 31, 2007, against five individuals, charging them with:

• Criminal conspiracy (IPC 120B)
• Cheating (IPC 420)
• Forgery and using forged documents (IPC 468, 471)
• Criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act

After a full trial, the Special CBI Court No. 06, Ahmedabad, found Kikubhai Dhodi, Vasantbhai Patel, and Apurva Patel guilty. The court sentenced each to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed fines totaling over ₹35 lakh.

This case is a clear reminder of the severe legal consequences for insurance fraud and conspiracy, especially when public sector funds are misused. The judgment reinforces the importance of transparency and accountability in both public services and private dealings. The CBI has stated that such actions are critical in safeguarding public money and upholding institutional integrity.