STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION UTTARAKHAND DEHRADUN Date of Admission: 12.11.2021 Date of Final Hearing: 12.08.2025 Date of Pronouncement: 23.08.2025 SC/5/A/152/2021 Life Insurance Corporation of India North Central Zonal Office, Mahatma Gandhi Road Jeevan Vikas, Kanpur having one of its Divisional Office at (Jeevan Prakash), Haridwar Road Dehradun through its Authorised Signatory (Through: Ms. Japleen Kaur Bindra, Advocate)

…… Appellant Versus Smt. Aparna Singh W/o late Rajeev Kumar R/o A-51, Sharda Nagar Colony, Near Railway Crossing Jwalapur, P.S. Jwalapur, District Haridwar (Through: Sh. R.K. Sharma, Advocate)

…… Respondent Coram:

Ms. Kumkum Rani, President Mr. B.S. Manral, Member

ORDER

(Per: Ms. Kumkum Rani, President):

This appeal has been directed against the impugned judgment and order dated 24.09.2021 passed by learned District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Haridwar (hereinafter to be referred as “The District Commission”) in consumer complaint No. 02 of 2019, styled as Smt. Aparna Singh Vs. Branch Manager, Life Insurance Corporation of India and another, wherein and whereby the consumer complaint was allowed and the appellant – insurance company was directed to pay to the respondent / complainant an amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- (sum assured under policy No. 273113696 dated 27.03.2010); Rs. 3,00,000/- (sum assured under policy No. 271650711 dated 28.08.2005) and Rs. 6,00,000/- (sum assured under policy No. 271922016 dated 28.05.2009) together with interest @6% p.a. from the date of filing of the consumer complaint, i.e. 04.01.2019 till actual payment, besides to pay Rs. 10,000/- towards compensation and Rs. 5,000/- towards counsel fee & litigation expenses.

2. The facts giving rise to the present appeal, in brief, are, as such that during his lifetime, late Rajeev Kumar, the deceased husband of respondent / complainant – Smt. Aparna Singh, had purchased Jeevan Anand with Profits (with Accident Benefits) policy bearing No. 271650711 dated 28.08.2005 for sum assured of Rs. 3,00,000/-; Jeevan Anand (with Profits) (with Accident Benefit) policy bearing No. 271922016 dated 28.05.2009 for sum assured of Rs. 6,00,000/- and LIC Wealth Plus policy bearing No. 273113696 dated 27.03.2010 for sum assured of Rs. 1,00,000/-. In the above-mentioned three policies, the complainant was designated as nominee by the life assured, being his wife. On dated 07.08.2016, the life assured died in an accident near Nahan, District Sirmour (Himachal Pradesh). The F.I.R. of the accident came to be lodged by Sh. Sita Ram, father-in-law of the complainant, with P.S. Nahan, upon order dated 21.11.2016 passed by learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Nahan. Against the investigation carried out by the police in regard to the above F.I.R. under Section 174 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the father-in-law of the complainant submitted an application, whereupon a case was registered under Section 279/304A of The Indian Penal Code, 1860 at P.S. Nahan. Influenced by the earlier investigation done by the police under Section 174 of The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the police submitted the Final Report, against which, the father-in-law of the complainant filed protest petition before learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, which is still subjudice. The intimation of death of the life assured was given by the complainant to the insurance company. On dated 22.02.2017, the insurance company approved payment of accident benefits of Rs. 5,00,000/- against policy Nos. 271922016 and 271650711, while there was no mention of 3^rd policy bearing No. 273113696. It was alleged that no investigation was conducted by the insurance company and relying upon the report submitted by the police, repudiating the claim, thereby committing deficiency in service. Therefore, the consumer complaint was filed by the complainant before the District Commission.

3. The appellant / opposite party (insurance company) filed written statement before the District Commissio