30 Nov 2011

$1 million question over severed hand

9:47 am on 30 November 2011

A Taiwanese man has denied accusations by police in China that he cut off his hand in an insurance scam.

Hu Chi-yang, 60, was arrested and bailed on his return to Taiwan.

The BBC reports police have kept the severed hand and say they will return it when the case is closed.

Earlier this month Hu Chi-yang said robbers had attacked him for his gold Rolex watch and ring while he was visiting Fujian province.

But police said Mr Hu, 60, injured his hand himself so he could collect on insurance policies.

Doctors later amputated the hand because it was so badly injured that it could not be reattached.

Police on Monday said they believe Mr Hu tried to cut off his own hand to collect on insurance policies worth about $US1 million.

They said they had found a cleaver with Mr Hu's DNA on it and a video recording at a knife shop which showed he had bought the knife there.

They also said his blood, collected at the scene, contained traces of anaesthetic.

Police also alleged there were 16 cuts, all made in a neat manner, not the typical work of robbers. And instead of calling the police or going straight to a hospital, they said Mr Hu went to his fiance's home after the crime.

Mr Hu says he is not lying, denying he bought the knife or touched anaesthetic. He said he did not know the way to the closest hospital, so went to ask his fiance.

Police released him on bail on Tuesday, but refused to comment until their investigation is complete.