A 38-year-old woman from Thane died after learning that multiple cyber fraud cases had been registered against her across several states, over the alleged use of her bank account in online fraud. Her family says she had shared her account details with a friend and had no idea how the account was actually being used.
Who She Was, and How This Began
The woman was identified as Devika Arumugam Pandaram, a resident of Sairam Society in Dombivli East, Maharashtra. Officials from the Churu Cyber Cell police station in Rajasthan visited her home on August 8 and served her a notice to appear for questioning in a case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Police said her Bank of Maharashtra account had been used in connection with an online fraud case.
A Web of Cases Across Multiple States
Seeking clarity on what was happening, Pandaram approached the Cyber Crime Department at the Thane Police Commissionerate. There, she learned that multiple cyber fraud cases had been registered against her across several states, Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, meaning she could potentially be required to travel to each of these states individually for questioning.
What Her Family Says Happened
According to ACP Suhas Hemade of Thane City Police, Pandaram's family said she had given her bank account details to a friend from her native place. Her family also said she did odd jobs and had no awareness of what her friend was doing with the account. Police are now examining whether she received any commission or payment in exchange for allowing the account to be used, and an FIR is expected to be registered against the friend if Pandaram's family files a formal complaint.
What Happened Next
Pandaram had reportedly been deeply worried about the multiple cases and the prospect of having to travel to different states for questioning. On August 25, the same day police visited her home, she took her own life. Her relatives rushed her to a nearby private hospital, and she was later referred to the municipal-run Shastri Nagar Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
What Mule Accounts Are, and Why This Matters
Mule accounts, bank accounts used to move money obtained through fraud, are a common tool in cyber fraud networks. In some cases, an account holder knowingly provides access in exchange for payment. In others, as police are examining in this case, the account holder may have genuinely had no idea their account was being used for fraudulent transactions at all.
That distinction matters enormously, because under current enforcement practices, an account linked to fraud can trigger cases against the account holder across multiple states almost automatically, regardless of whether they knowingly participated. This case is a sobering reminder of why sharing bank account access with anyone, even someone trusted, carries real and potentially serious legal consequences, consequences that can unfold entirely outside the account holder's knowledge or control until it's too late.
Police continue to examine the exact circumstances under which Pandaram's account came to be used, and whether she received any payment for providing access to it.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. The AASRA helpline is available 24/7 at 91-9820466726, and the national tele-mental health helpline Tele-MANAS can be reached at 14416 or 1800-891-4416.
FAQs
Q1. Why were multiple cybercrime cases registered against Devika Pandaram?
Her Bank of Maharashtra account was allegedly used in online fraud cases across six states, after she reportedly shared her account details with a friend without knowing how the account would be used.
Q2. What are mule accounts?
They are bank accounts used to move money obtained through fraud, sometimes with the account holder's knowledge in exchange for payment, and sometimes without their awareness at all.
Q3. What has the investigation focused on?
Police are examining whether Pandaram received any payment for allowing her account to be used, and an FIR against the friend involved is expected if her family files a complaint.