A pension fraud has been exposed recently where a deceased woman was allegedly shown as "alive" for seven years to siphon off pension funds amounting to over ₹44 lakh. After initial lapses, the matter finally came to light following administrative intervention, prompting legal action after initial police inaction, as per The Times of India.
According to a complaint sent to the Sardhana sub-divisional magistrate in a letter dated October 8, 2025, Neeraj Kumar, the manager of the State Bank of India at the Sakauti Tanda branch, stated that a pension account was held in the name of Shanti Devi, the wife of Surjan Singh, a freedom fighter, TOI stated in its report.
Following court directives, a case has now been registered by the police against the woman’s son Prem Singh, and his unidentified accomplices under sections related to fraud and forgery. Prakash Chandra Agarwal, who is reportedly overseeing the investigation, stated that the matter is being probed thoroughly and assured that strict action will be taken.
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Pension to a deceased account
According to officials, the case pertains to Shanti Devi, who resided in Shahpur Jadeed village under Daurala Police Station limits. A public sector bank branch located in Sakauti Tanda reportedly maintained her bank account. Shanti Devi passed away on December 9, 2018, as was confirmed by the records.
However, her son, Prem Singh, allegedly conspired with unidentified associates to continue withdrawing pension funds by falsely projecting her as alive. Authorities claim that forged documents were prepared and submitted to sustain the fraud for nearly seven years.
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FIR lodged after 7 years
The FIR registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 318 (cheating) reportedly states that the accused used fake life certificates to mislead bank officials. As reported, a total of ₹44,38,096 was illegally withdrawn from the account during this period, through ATM withdrawals and digital transactions.
The fraud surfaced after a formal communication from the sub-divisional magistrate brought the matter under scrutiny. Acting on this, the bank management filed a complaint at the local police station on November 27, 2025.
