RTI plea uncovers woman’s PF, gratuity fraud

A woman was arrested on Thursday for forging her husband’s signature to make herself the sole nominee to claim his entire Provident Fund and gratuity money in Lucknow, the police said. The fraud came to light after the woman’s stepson filed a Right to Information application to his deceased father’s office.
“Mahanagar police on Thursday arrested the accused woman who was identified as Indira Yadav, 45, a resident of Vikrant Khand in Gomti Nagar. The woman forged the signature in the service book of her former DGM husband of BSNL after his death,” the police said, according to a press statement.
According to police, the FIR regarding the same was lodged at Mahanagar police station on the complaint given by Hemant Kumar Yadav in 2022 after his father, former DGM at Mahanagar Telephone Exchange of BSNL (UP East) Dev Narayan Yadav’s death in 2017. The RTI reply revealed that Indira had claimed 100% of PF, gratuity and pension amount by forging signatures in the nomination form and claiming to be the sole nominee.
“The father had made the son and the second wife 50% nominees each. This was revealed through RTI,” said police.
Indira allegedly took advantage of her husband being seriously ill in January 2016 before his retirement. She, along with her son and daughter, allegedly forged husband’s signature with the help of employees to make herself 100% nominee, the police said.