Cuttack, Sep 16: Extending the probe into the multi-crore rupee fake vehicle accident claim scam in Odisha, the CBI has registered a fresh FIR against a motorcyclist from Cuttack who was accused of ramming his vehicle into another biker, leading to the latter’s death in 2021.

The case is a part of the 33 ‘fake’ Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) matters linked to accident cases registered at 30 police stations since 2021, allegedly with the intention to seek insurance claims and dupe a vehicle insurance company.

Head of CBI, ACB, Bhubaneswar, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, approved the registration of FIR against Brajakishore Sahoo, a Cuttack resident, on Monday while following directions from the High Court of Orissa.

The High Court had directed the federal agency to investigate the matter on a petition filed by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company.

The FIR (RC0152025A0012) registered by the CBI on Monday quoted the operative part of the HC direction, which said, “Considering the scale, magnitude and complexity of the crime, this Court is of the opinion that the State Police is not in a position to carry out a fair and truthful investigation. The CBI is well equipped with the requisite skill to unearth the conspiracy and money-trailing aspect of the crime.”

“Therefore, this Court directs that the aforesaid cases be handed over to the CBI for investigation in the interest of justice in exercise of its inherent powers and in the spirit of the apex court's judgment in Safiq Ahmed versus ICICI Lombard General Insurance,” the High Court said.

Earlier, a case of dangerous driving and causing death by rash and negligent act was registered against Sahoo by Cuttack’s Police Station, Mangalabad, in 2021. The probe into the case has now been taken over by the CBI with the registration of the FIR.

The accident caused by Sahoo had allegedly resulted in the death of another motorcyclist identified as Gurucharan Prasad, a resident of Cuttack. The police complaint against Sahoo after the accident was filed by the victim’s daughter, Suchismita Prasad.

After completion of the investigation, the local police filed a chargesheet against Sahoo on February 1, 2022, in a court in Cuttack. Later, an insurance claim was filed in connection with the accident.

The insurance scam allegedly involves fake accident cases, with up to half a dozen cases involving an offending driver with the same name. The insurance company had told the High Court that they suspected that insurance claimants were filing false cases by using the same driver’s name and submitting fake claims to misappropriate crores of rupees. (IANS)

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