Rajasthan Crop Insurance Scam: FIR Filed After 71 Fake Farmers Exposed
In a significant development in Rajasthan, the state agriculture department has filed a First Information Report (FIR) following the exposure of a major crop insurance fraud. The case involves 71 individuals who were allegedly shown as farmers using forged land records and fake crop details to secure benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
Minister Uncovers Racket at SBI Branch
The scandal came to light after State Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena unearthed the racket at the Salasar branch of the State Bank of India (SBI). Preliminary investigations revealed large-scale irregularities in crop insurance policies issued through this branch.
The FIR was registered at the Salasar police station by assistant director agriculture (extension) Govind Singh Rathore. The complaint alleges a case of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy involving bank officials and insurance company representatives.
Bank Officials and Insurance Company Named in FIR
The FIR specifically names Salasar branch manager Umesh Kumar Saraswat and bank employee Bhagirath Nayak as accused parties. They are alleged to have issued fake crop insurance policies in collusion with representatives of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited.
The complaint states that the accused conspired to insure non-existent agricultural land parcels to fraudulently claim insurance payouts. This sophisticated scheme involved creating documentation for agricultural properties that simply did not exist in official records.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
According to the agriculture minister's findings, insurance policies were issued in the names of 71 farmers from Bajju Tejpura Patwar Mandal and village Bajju Khalsa in Gajner tehsil of Bikaner district. However, subsequent verification by revenue authorities revealed alarming discrepancies:
- The survey numbers mentioned in the policies did not exist in official records
- Khasra details provided were completely fabricated
- Land records referenced in the documentation were non-existent
Despite these glaring irregularities, the scheme involved substantial financial transactions:
- Premiums worth approximately Rs 13.51 lakh were deposited in the names of the purported farmers
- About Rs 15.76 lakh was shown as contributions from state and central governments
- The total projected claim amount in the alleged fraud was estimated to be nearly Rs 9 crore
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India's new criminal code. Authorities have initiated a detailed probe into the financial transactions and the attempted fraudulent claims.
This investigation represents a significant crackdown on corruption within agricultural support systems and highlights the vulnerabilities in crop insurance implementation that can be exploited by unscrupulous elements.
The agriculture department's swift action following the minister's discovery demonstrates the government's commitment to addressing systemic fraud in welfare schemes. The case is expected to have far-reaching implications for how crop insurance policies are verified and processed across the country.
