Indian-Origin Ex-UK Police Officer Jailed for Role in ‘Crash for Cash’ Scam

An Indian-origin former Metropolitan Police officer has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison for his role in a “crash for cash” scam involving staged road accidents and fraudulent insurance claims.

Kuldip Singh, 42, who was serving as a police officer when he became involved in the scheme, was also disqualified from acting as a company director for five years. He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court in London to offences including conspiracy to commit fraud, fraud by false representation, perverting the course of justice and unauthorised computer access.

According to the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the group arranged collisions and subsequently filed false personal injury and vehicle damage claims with insurers.

One incident occurred in March 2016, when group member Raiyaan Anwar, then a Tesco delivery driver, drove his van into a Citroen being driven by Singh. Four other men linked to the scheme were travelling in Singh’s car.

The collision resulted in five personal injury claims totalling £33,362, although only £912 was ultimately paid.

Singh also operated a car-hire business, ADK Supreme, with Alper Emin. The company obtained high-value vehicles on finance and rented them out. After a rented Mercedes was crashed, Singh and Emin falsely claimed that a burglary had occurred and that the vehicle’s key had been stolen. Singh later submitted a fraudulent insurance claim and received £16,145 for the damage.

The CPS said Singh also falsely reported that other leased vehicles had been cloned to avoid liability for traffic offences and collisions. In one instance, he allegedly persuaded a police staff member to enter a false report on the police database.

Singh was dismissed from the Metropolitan Police in November 2017 for gross misconduct. He later fled the UK and was extradited from Georgia in March.

CPS prosecutor Busola Johnson said the case represented a serious betrayal of public trust and caused significant financial harm.

Singh’s co-defendants, including Anwar, Emin, Krishna Gnanaseelan and Singh Dehal, remain at large after being prosecuted in their absence.