Mumbai: CA Dies by Suicide After Live Facebook Video Accusing Woman’s Family of Harassment

Mumbai, 20th September 2024: Sandeep Paswan, a 33-year-old chartered accountant from Hazaribagh, Bihar, tragically took his own life in Deonar on Tuesday after going live on Facebook, where he shared that he was facing mental harassment and false molestation allegations from a woman and her parents.

Despite viewers notifying the police about the video, officers arrived too late, finding him hanged from a ceiling fan. Officials revealed that Paswan had been struggling with suicidal thoughts for about a year due to ongoing disputes with the woman and her family. He had been receiving counselling from the police and even expressed gratitude to them in August, thanking them for helping him start afresh and promising not to take any drastic measures. Paswan had moved to Mumbai in February after previously working as a head accountant. His relationship with the woman began in 2018, and over time, they met regularly. In 2021, Paswan reportedly gave her Rs 12.5 lakh for purchasing a flat, but when he became suspicious of her intentions, he asked for the money back.

On June 14, 2023, the woman’s family allegedly called Paswan to Mumbai, assuring him that the money would be returned. However, upon arrival, Paswan was reportedly assaulted, and a molestation case was filed against him at the Nehru Nagar police station. He provided bank statements and documents to defend himself and later filed a case in Hazaribagh against the woman and her family. Paswan claimed that Mumbai police dismissed his complaint as a civil issue, not taking it seriously.

On the morning of September 17, Paswan went live on Facebook from his Govandi flat, showing bruises on his body. In the video, he accused the woman and her family of assaulting him and pushing him towards suicide. “They said to me, ‘Why are you still alive? Just die, or we will kill you,’” Paswan alleged during the live stream. Shortly after, he ended his life.

The Deonar police have registered an accidental death report, and a case of abetment will only be pursued after further investigation, as the woman had already filed a molestation complaint against Paswan. A senior police official stated that Paswan had been undergoing counselling for the past year and had shown signs of improvement. He had even sent messages thanking the police and promising not to take any extreme measures.

Friends close to Paswan, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the woman’s family had been continuously threatening him, urging him to drop the case and refusing to return his money. Although friends advised him to move on, Paswan felt stuck. He changed his lifestyle, giving up non-vegetarian food, focusing on his work, and seeking comfort in spirituality by visiting temples.

“Sandeep and the woman were very close, but after she refused to marry him, conflicts arose when he asked for the money back. This escalated tensions between the two families, and a molestation case was filed against him. Sandeep tried to clear his name by visiting the police station and even meeting the home minister at Mantralaya. But as justice eluded him, he lost hope and felt forced to make a tragic decision,” shared a friend.