Rajkot: In a stern action against the use of forged documents in judicial proceedings, an FIR was registered at Gandhigram-2 (University) police station against a motor accident claim applicant for allegedly submitting tampered receipts before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Rajkot.The accused, identified as Jitendra Markana, had filed a motor accident claim petition before the tribunal. To support his compensation claim, Markana submitted payment receipts purportedly issued by Bidada Sarvodaya Trust, showing payments of Rs 1,000 each.The alleged forgery came to light during the proceedings when the insurance company summoned Rajubhai, a trustee of Bidada Sarvodaya Trust, as a witness. When the trustee appeared before the tribunal and verified the receipts submitted by the claimant against the trust’s official records, discrepancies were found.According to the tribunal’s observations, the original receipts issued by the trust were for Rs 100. It was found that an extra zero had been added to the amount mentioned on the receipts produced before the court, inflating the figure 10-fold to Rs 1,000.Taking serious note of the tampering, the tribunal recorded detailed observations in its final order. Acting on the directions of an additional district judge, deputy registrar Siddhrajsinh Jadeja lodged a police complaint, stating that the documents were forged with the intent of obtaining undue financial gain.Advocates associated with the case said Markana met with an accident in 2016, when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a car on the Atkot–Gondal road. He later availed physiotherapy services at the Bidada Sarvodaya Trust facility, for which the disputed receipts were issued.Police officials said an investigation is underway to determine whether the applicant himself altered the receipts or whether the forgery was carried out with the assistance of others.
