JUDGMENT :

During the course of an investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (for short ‘PMLA’) against a proprietary concern called M/s. Masters Finserv, and others, the bank accounts of the petitioner were frozen by an order dated 05.09.2023. While the challenge against the freezing of bank accounts was pending consideration in this writ petition, an order of provisional attachment was issued on 22.05.2024, attaching the very same bank accounts and an immovable property of the petitioner. The subsequent order of attachment was incorporated as an additional challenge after amending the writ petition. Thus petitioner, inter alia, challenges the freezing of his bank accounts and the provisional order of attachment issued under section 5 of PMLA, in this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

2. Petitioner is a businessman having an electronic shop at Sholapur, Maharashtra and claims that he has no connection with the business of Masters Finserv or its proprietor. During September 2023, petitioner was informed by his bankers that his bank accounts maintained with the IDFC Bank, ICCI Bank and Federal Bank were frozen under order