‘Father on Rent’: Man Hires Elderly Imposter to Fake Late Dad’s Verification

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a startling case of pension fraud, a man in Lucknow attempted to withdraw his deceased father’s pension by hiring an elderly man for ₹5000 to pose as him. The deception was uncovered when treasury officials noticed discrepancies during verification, prompting the duo to flee the scene. Prem Shankar Tiwari, a retired teacher from the Secondary Education Department had been receiving a pension regularly. This year, when the time came for verification, his son brought an elderly man pretending to be Tiwari. While the imposter correctly stated basic details, he fell silent when questioned about his job, raising suspicion. Officials then cross-checked old records and found a mismatch in the photos, confirming the fraud. Before action could be taken both men escaped. Upon visiting Tiwari’s residence, officials confirmed that he had passed away some time ago, though the exact date remains unclear. Authorities suspect that the pension had been fraudulently withdrawn for a prolonged period. The Treasury has now requested a report from the Tehsildar to determine how long the fraudulent claims were made.

Chief Treasury Officer Sadhana Kori stated that once the report is received, steps will be taken to recover the misappropriated pension funds. The bank has been directed to freeze and reclaim any remaining amount from the deceased’s account. Meanwhile, questions are being raised about potential lapses by treasury staff, as no FIR has been filed yet. The case sheds light on financial fraud and systemic loopholes, underscoring the need for stricter verification processes.