New Delhi, May 27 (IANS): Conception and child birth may be an almost year-long procedure in normal cases, but not for the women employees linked to the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

An internal audit of the ESIC has revealed that dozens of women employees of private sector companies linked to the Corporation availed insurance and other Maternity Leave benefits, no less than four times a year, and in some cases even more, showing themselves as pregnant.

This was done by submitting forged medical reports in collusion with the contractors and departmental officers at the ESIC regional office located in Faridabad's Sector 16.

Maternity Leave is paid holiday of 26 weeks.

The case is being probed by the Vigilance Department at the ESIC Headquarters in Delhi.

The ESIC Vigilance team has asked for past three years of documents related to the case.

D.K. Mishra, Commissioner, Regional Office - ESIC said: "We have handed over the documents related to the case. The Vigilance Department has further asked for records of the past three years in this regard."