Italy: 'Blind' pensioner held for riding bicycle, reading

, July 5: Police in central

's Perugia city arrested a man who was drawing a monthly state disability pension for the

after they spotted him riding a bicycle, reading and walking briskly.

The man claimed he had a disease that left him almost completely blind and required assistance to go shopping and perform other tasks, for which he received a 500 euro monthly pension from the state.

He is now being accused of defrauding the Italian state.

Finance police seized over 16,500 euros of pension payments made to the man since 2010.

IANS/AKI