Mumbai: Relationship manager nearly empties bank accounts of 80-year-old

The police said the accused confessed to the victim’s children that she withdrew the money. Representation pic

The relationship manager of a multinational bank is under the scanner after she fraudulently transferred and withdrew nearly Rs 67.20 lakh from the bank accounts of an 80-year-old woman living alone in Bandra. The police have lodged an FIR against the manager but have not yet arrested her. The police said that after the victim's husband died, her two children, who live in California, arranged for a help to look after her. The police said she had about Rs 93 lakh in her three bank accounts, and her sons also send money for her day-to-day needs.

Manager assigned

The police said due to her old age and illness, she could no longer go to the bank, and as per her children's request, the bank had appointed a relationship manager, Reshma Mandal, for her. Mandal's duty was to go to her home from time to time, and withdraw money from the bank and give it to her as per her needs. This April, the victim's health deteriorated and she was admitted to a hospital in Bandra for treatment. In need of money, the police said, she called her sons.

Her sons checked the bank statements of all three accounts and were shocked to find them nearly empty. It was found that there were withdrawals of various amounts such as Rs 6.06 lakh using ATM, and Rs 43.99 lakh and Rs 17.14 lakh were transferred to various bank accounts between February 21, 2022, and April 4, 2023. The ATM withdrawals and transfers were over Rs 67 lakh. The police said the victim's children inquired with Mandal and she confessed to withdrawing the money.

Accused being probed

"On the complaint of the victim's 48-year-old son, we have registered an FIR under various sections of IPC and served notice to the accused woman to be present before the officer concerned for investigation," said a cop from Bandra police station.

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