Authorities in the Agra division have uncovered a large pension fraud where families of deceased government employees continued to receive pensions for years after the pensioners had passed away. The investigation found that the deaths of employees were not reported and the pension accounts remained active, allowing continuous withdrawal of government funds.
The treasury department identified more than 650 cases across Agra, Mathura, Firozabad and Mainpuri. According to officials, a total of ₹2.77 crore was withdrawn in the names of those who were no longer alive. The deceased individuals belonged to various government departments including teaching, engineering, medical services and clerical roles.
After the fraud was detected, authorities began a recovery process. Many of the families involved have admitted to withdrawing the money and have returned around ₹2.42 crore. However, about ₹35 lakh is still pending recovery. Officials are now visiting households in a door to door drive and have issued notices to the banks where the accounts were held.
Chief Treasury Officer Rita Sachan said that Recovery Certificate notices have been sent to those who took and used pension amounts illegally. She said, “If the funds are not returned within the stipulated period, arrest and property auction proceedings will follow.”
In Agra district alone, ₹95.21 lakh had continued to be deposited into accounts of deceased pensioners. Out of this amount, ₹83.65 lakh has been recovered while ₹11.55 lakh is yet to be returned. Final warnings have been given to defaulters.
To stop such fraud in the future, the treasury department has now made the annual life certificate submission mandatory for all pensioners. Pension payments will be stopped immediately if the certificate is not submitted in time.
Banks have also been instructed to verify account holder status regularly and report accounts that belong to deceased individuals. According to Sachan, this measure is aimed at preventing misuse of public funds and ensuring transparency in pension disbursement.
The case has led to strong discussions on the need for more digital verification and strict monitoring of pension systems.
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