In a significant development in the ongoing investigation into an inter-state insurance fraud network, Sambhal Police arrested another key suspect, Pankaj Kumar Dhali, 37, on Wednesday. His arrest brings the total number of individuals apprehended in the case to 67 over the past six months.
During a press briefing, Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi revealed that Dhali was allegedly involved in orchestrating fake personal loan and insurance claims using forged identities and counterfeit documents.
Upon Dhali’s arrest, the police recovered a substantial cache of items believed to be used in the operation:
One laptop
Two mobile phones
39 cheque books from different banks
Seven debit cards
Multiple Aadhaar and PAN cards tied to individuals from Delhi, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh
Additional SP Anukriti Sharma elaborated on the breakthrough, stating that Dhali’s name surfaced during an earlier investigation. In February, two suspects—Shahrukh Khan and Hirendra Kumar—were arrested. That operation led to the recovery of critical evidence, including:
51 insurance claim forms
31 death certificates
17 insurance policy bonds
12 photocopies of various insurance policies
“While examining the materials recovered, especially a Delhi MCD-issued death certificate in the name of a man named Dharmendra, our investigation deepened,” said Sharma. “WhatsApp chats from Shahrukh Khan’s phone pointed to the involvement of Pankaj Kumar Dhali, prompting further action.”
Authorities suspect the existence of a well-organized “insurance mafia” that may span multiple states, forging documentation to file fraudulent claims and loans. Police expect more arrests as the investigation progresses.
