Baripada, Dec 16: The Odisha State Bar Council has issued a show-cause notice to government lawyer Pratima Sahu for her alleged involvement in a fraud case aimed at illegally siphoning off the pension of a deceased CISF jawan.
Sitanshu Mohan Dwivedi, Chairman of the Odisha State Bar Council, sent the notice to Sahu, a government lawyer from Udala, for her role in preparing and submitting forged documents and court orders that enabled the misappropriation of funds meant for the deceased jawan.
The incident, which occurred within the jurisdiction of Udala Police, involved a group of five individuals who conspired to steal the pension of the late CISF jawan, Jadunath Singh. The scheme was orchestrated by Singh's sister-in-law and nephew, who forged various documents, including signatures, to unlawfully claim the pension.
Jadunath Singh, a head constable in the CISF, passed away in 2023. The fraudsters reportedly created fake documents, such as a divorce certificate, to fabricate a false narrative about Singh's personal history. They also managed to secure fake court orders, which allowed them to collect a substantial sum of Rs 20 lakh in pension payments that were intended for Singh.
The police investigation was triggered after a lawyer filed a complaint, revealing the fraudulent transactions. Following the complaint, the authorities arrested five individuals: Banamali Singh, Bijay Patra (a computer shop owner), Somabari (Jadunath's sister-in-law), Nilam Singh (his nephew), and Pratima Sahu, the government lawyer who allegedly aided in the forgery.
