CIC directs LIC to provide revised RTI reply as policyholder alleges unrequested loans against policy

This article reports the CIC’s directive to LIC to provide a revised RTI reply and notes that LIC’s denial was not adequately justified. It mentions the claims of pending consumer forum proceedings and police investigations, and LIC’s stance that records were not available but would be revisited to provide available information.

The Central Information Commission directed LIC to furnish a revised reply along with the available information to the RTI applicant. The commission noted LIC failed to justify the denial under Section 8 of the RTI Act, as there was no court order restraining disclosure and the agency did not adequately explain how sharing the information would impede an ongoing investigation. LIC had claimed that the matter was pending before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Lucknow, and that two FIRs had been registered. LIC admitted the records sought were not available and agreed to revisit the RTI application and provide available information.

An RTI applicant sought documents concerning two loans allegedly disbursed against the policyholder's ₹50 lakh LIC policy, which he says he never applied for. The policy’s maturity value was around ₹81.7 lakh. The two loans cited were ₹10.45 lakh in December 2007 and ₹15.89 lakh; the policyholder alleges they were disbursed without his consent, possibly via involvement of an LIC agent, with funds deposited into a joint bank account opened in his name and later transferred and withdrawn. He claims he never signed for such accounts. After adjusting these loans and accrued interest, the payable maturity amount was reported as ₹36.67 lakh.