Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 19: After finding that the charge of swindling Rs 2.5 lac insurance money which should have gone to a Dalit family levelled against a lawyer was proved, a court here has sentenced local lawyer, Premaraja Kini, to life term. Kini was facing the charge of creating fake records and usurping accident insurance amount which should have gone to a Dalit family.

The second accused in the case, identified as Vinaya Kumar, is no more. The advocate, in connivance with the second accused and another one named Harishchandra Acharya, had misled a poor family of Sadhu, a coolie by profession, and cheated them to the exetent of over Rs 2.5 lac accident insurance claim. A case had been registered against the lawyer in this connection.

Dalit Sangharsha Samiti led by Dalit leader from here, Jayan Malpe, had carried out the struggle on behalf of the poor Dalit family. The court found that the charges against Premaraja Kini have been proved.

After Kundadu, wife of Chambu, a coolie from Kadambila in Beltangady taluk, died in accident on May 13, 2002 which happened near Salmara, Karkala, Chambu and his children had applied for accident insurance through the district court here. The court ordered to disburse Rs 1,33,246 including interest, through an order passedon August 2003.

The family appealed to the high court claiming that the insurance amount was too low. The high court upheld the appeal and ordered the disbursement of revised insurance money. As per this order, the insurance company deposited Rs 2,57,549 including interest of Rs 1,85,600 in the court.

At this stage, the accused defrauded the petitioners, court and bank officers and siphoned off the entire amount by using fake documetns and fake people without the knowledge of the concerned. The court has awarded seven years imprisonment to the second accused.