
Insuring dying & dead: 50 firms, finmin meet with senior cops
At the conclave hosted by UP Police, officials proposed systemic reforms to combat insurance fraud, including changes to Section 45, improved data sharing, and tighter scrutiny of investigation processes.
The scam, first reported by TOI, involved policies being taken out in the names of terminally ill or dead individuals across more than 12 states. "The findings uncovered during the probe prompted the need for a national-level dialogue on fraud prevention.
The idea came from the case details we encountered over the past six months," said Anukriti Sharma, Sambhal additional SP and lead investigator.
SP Krishna Bishnoi said the conclave concluded with a range of suggestions. "We discussed better coordination among insurers, the need to relook Section 45, investor protection, standardisation of probe procedures, and stronger communication between cops and insurance firms," he told TOI.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Drug cartel active across four continents busted in multi-agency operation
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) congratulated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and other law enforcement agencies for busting an international drug cartel that operated in over 10 countries across four continents. While the NCB's inputs have also led to crackdowns in the United States and Australia, eight alleged syndicate members have been arrested so far. In a post on X, Mr. Shah said: 'The probe set a stellar example of multi-agency coordination, resulting in eight arrests and seizures of five consignments while triggering crackdowns in the U.S. and Australia against the ring that operates across four continents and ten plus nations.' 'Our agencies are constantly monitoring the sophisticated modes like crypto payments and anonymous drop shippers used by these gangs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is determined to see off every drug cartel and protect our youth, no matter where they operate from,' he said. The syndicate busted by the NCB (HQ Operations) used encrypted digital platforms, drop-shipping models, and cryptocurrency to smuggle controlled medicines. 'What began with a routine vehicle interception near Bengali Market in Delhi unravelled a sophisticated criminal web operating across India, U.S.A, Australia, and Europe — showcasing the global reach of illicit pharma networks and the NCB's capability to lead coordinated international enforcement actions. This operation uncovered a global network spanning four continents and more than 10 countries,' said a government release. On May 25, acting on a tip-off, the agency stopped the car near Mandi House and seized 3.70 kg of tramadol tablets from its two occupants, both B. Pharma graduates of a reputed private university in Noida. They allegedly confessed to operating a vendor profile on a major Indian B2B platform, from where they sold pharmaceutical pills to clients in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. 'Leads from the interrogation led to a stockist in Roorkee [Uttarakhand], followed by the arrest of a key associate in Mayur Vihar [Delhi], who revealed connections with a contact in Udupi [Karnataka] responsible for organising bulk orders for shipments to the U.S. From Udupi, the NCB uncovered data on 50 international consignments,' it said. They included 29 packages transported within the U.S., 18 in Australia, and one each in Estonia, Spain, and Switzerland. 'The above information was shared with global counterparts and Interpol, leading to the identification and arrest of a bulk re-shipper and money launderer in Alabama, U.S., by the US DEA [United States Drug Enforcement Administration], along with a massive haul of controlled medicines,' said the release. Congratulations to NCB and all agencies on busting a global drug cartel. The probe set a stellar example of multi-agency coordination, resulting in 8 arrests and seizures of 5 consignments while triggering crackdowns in the US and Australia against the ring that operates across… — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 2, 2025 As it turned out, the syndicate operated on encrypted communication platforms like Telegram, relied on cryptocurrency payments, PayPal, and Western Union, and used anonymous international drop shippers to evade detection. Digital forensics led to the arrest of two more Indian nationals from Delhi and Jaipur, who handled logistics and supply-side operations. The agencies found that the operators never shipped in their home countries and coordinated via other drop-shippers to avoid legal consequences. The kingpin of the entire operations has been located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The NCB is working in collaboration with the UAE authorities for further action. Clandestine facility The NCB probe also resulted in the detection of a clandestine pill manufacturing facility in Australia. Based on its information, the US DEA has also arrested one Joel Hall, a major re-shipper based in Alabama, leading to the seizure of over 17,000 tablets of controlled medication. During the operation, the authorities also identified multiple cryptocurrency wallets/parcels. Besides, an Indian-American money launderer is now facing indictment in the U.S. In parallel, the US DEA has intercepted five parcels containing about 700 gm of zolpidem tablets. The investigators have found that the mastermind handled both the orders and supply modules with a high level of coordination and compartmentalisation. The orders module functioned via a major B2B platform, where the handlers subscribed to premium vendor categories to enhance visibility and attract potential buyers. To manage incoming sales leads, the group ran a call centre based in Udupi having 10 staff members, many of whom were reportedly unaware of the illicit nature of the operation. On confirmation of orders, advance payments were collected in cryptocurrency and routed to the supply module operators after deducting a 10–15% commission. The supply module would retain a further 10% before disbursing payments to re-shippers, located in the designated countries, who handled the final delivery. The repeat buyers were groomed and recruited as re-shippers or stockists for expanding the network. Many such stockists have been identified by the NCB's international counterparts and action initiated against them.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Who gives you the right?': Cops question vigilantes' ‘identity drive' on kanwar route
Agra: UP police have issued notices to at least six supporters of an ashram head for allegedly carrying out an unauthorised "drive" to ascertain the identity and faith of dhaba workers along the kanwar yatra route in Muzaffarnagar a few days ago. The group allegedly demanded Aadhaar cards and details of caste, religion, and addresses from staff and owners at Pandit Ji Shudh Vaishno Dhaba on NH-58, and tried to forcibly remove a worker's trousers to verify his religion. The vigilantes, supporters of self-styled seer Swami Yashveer Maharaj, run an initiative named 'Pehchan Abhiyan (identification campaign)', claiming several food outlets on the kanwar route use Hindu names despite being operated by people from other communities, which could mislead pilgrims. In notices issued from New Mandi police station for disturbing public peace and conducting illegal checks without govt authorisation, police said: "Under which rule and authority did you check the hotels and dhabas, ask objectionable questions, and try to disturb the peace in the area? You are directed to appear within three days of receiving this notice and explain in writing why legal action should not be taken against you. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Experience Luxury at Its Finest – ATS Dolce Gr. Noida ATS Infrastructure Ltd Learn More Undo " SHO Dinesh Chand said more individuals are being identified. Maharaj denied the allegation that anyone forcibly removed any employee's trousers. But he said, "We warned this dhaba to change its name within 24 hours or face protests starting Thursday morning. This is not a Hindu-run establishment and is misusing the name 'Pandit'." He cited state govt directives requiring eateries to display the owner's name, warning of legal action under Section 420 for misrepresentation. In a related development, police separately registered a case against five people, including the dhaba's owners, after Dharmender Sharma, a manager associated with Yashveer, alleged he was assaulted on Sunday night. Police said an FIR was filed under relevant sections, including BNS Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt). Police said investigations into both incidents are ongoing. Muzaffarnagar is a critical stop on the kanwar route for lakhs of devotees from UP, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Haryana who collect Ganga water from Haridwar during Shravan month. This came even as Meerut district administration directed "every shop along the kanwar route to display QR codes, allowing pilgrims to instantly verify vendor details".


Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
‘Silent emergency': TN BJP on cases against Murugan devotees meet participants
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday accused the ruling DMK government of imposing a 'silent emergency' in the state, following police action against participants of the Murugan Devotees' Conference held in Madurai last month. BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad strongly condemned the filing of police cases against several leaders, including Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran, former party chief K. Annamalai, and Hindu Munnani leader Kadeswara Subramanian. The cases were registered in connection with their participation in the June 22nd devotional gathering, which saw the attendance of over 5 lakh devotees. Prasad questioned the rationale behind the police action, stating that the event was conducted in an exceptionally peaceful and disciplined manner. 'Even critics of the BJP in the media had to acknowledge the flawless organisation of the event. There were no law-and-order issues, no traffic disruptions, and no reports of public inconvenience. Devotees even cleaned the venue themselves after the event,' he said. He alleged that the DMK government had remained silent for 10 days before launching a politically motivated crackdown aimed at appeasing minority vote banks, using the pretext of 'external instigation.' Prasad said the state's law and order situation had deteriorated drastically under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's leadership. 'There is growing fear that Tamil Nadu is descending into lawlessness, where the police act like gangs of thugs. Even the DMK's own MLA, Inigo Irudayaraj, has publicly stated that 'police turned into beasts' and beat temple guard Ajithkumar to death.' The alleged custodial death of Ajithkumar in Sivaganga district has further fuelled criticism of the government. Initially, the state attempted to downplay the incident, but video footage of the police assault and scathing remarks from the Madras High Court forced a CBI inquiry. 'The DMK government's response has been mere theatrics - with a minister sent for damage control and the Chief Minister making a staged phone call to the victim's family,' said Prasad. The BJP also slammed the DMK for what it called 'anti-Hindu' actions and rhetoric. Prasad pointed to recent remarks by DMK Deputy General Secretary and former Union Minister A. Raja, who allegedly used derogatory language against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Protests against Raja erupted across the state, and during one such demonstration at Chepauk in Chennai, BJP State Vice President Narayanan Thirupathi was allegedly manhandled and arrested. The BJP also accused the police of brutality against women protestors, alleging multiple human rights violations. 'Since Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed the AIADMK-BJP alliance and visited Tamil Nadu twice, the DMK has lost its peace of mind,' said Prasad. 'Fearing defeat in the upcoming Assembly elections, the ruling party has resorted to suppressive tactics and widespread intimidation,' he added. The BJP has demanded that the state government immediately withdraw what it calls 'false cases' and restore democratic norms. 'The people of Tamil Nadu are watching. In this age of social media, truth cannot be hidden. The consequences of this authoritarianism will soon be reflected in the ballot boxes,' Prasad warned.