JUDGMENT

Vinod S. Bhardwaj, J. (Oral)

Challenge in the present petition is to the communication/order bearing Memo Nos. 67 & 68 dated 12.04.2023 whereby an order under Section 102 of the CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE , 1973 has been sent by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab directing the Branch Manager of the HDFC Bank, Ward No.09, Chandigarh Road, Kurali, S.A.S Nagar, Mohali & Branch Manager, AXIS Bank, Kurali, SAS Nagar to freeze the Bank Accounts of the petitioner. The extract of the aforesaid communications reads thus:-

"No. 67 dated 12.04.2023

Subject:- Request for freezing the bank accounts.

That a case FIR No. 18, Dated 12.10.2022, under Section 13 (1) (b) r/w 13(2), PC Act 1988 as amendment by PC (Amendment) Act 2018 and 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120- B IPC, PS Vigilance Bureau, Flying Squad-1, Punjab at Mohali was registered against Girish Verma s/o Manohar Lal Verma & Others.

2. During investigation, it has surfaced that accused Vikas Verma & others partners/ firm have unexplained inter-se suspicious financial transactions. These persons are holding account(s) with your bank. The circumstances of the case and perusal of transaction statements of the accounts of the accused persons clearly points towards commission of offence. The details of the bank account(s) are as following:-

3. You are hereby requested to kindly freeze the above mentioned bank account(s) and prohibit the account holder(s) from operating these account(s) till any further directions of the concerned Hon'ble Court.

"No. 68 dated 12.04.2023

Subject:- Request for freezing the bank accounts.

That a case FIR No. 18, Dated 12.10.2022, under Section 13 (1) (b) r/w 13(2), PC Act 1988 as amendment by PC (Amendment) Act 2018 and 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120B IPC, PS Vigilance Bureau, Flying Squad-1, Punjab at Mohali was registered against Girish Verma s/o Manohar Lal Verma & Others.

2. During investigation, it has surfaced that accused Vikas Verma & others have unexplained inter-se suspicious financial transactions within themselves and with the firm. This firm is holding account(s) with your bank. The circumstances of the case and perusal of transaction statements of the accounts of the accused persons firm clearly points towards commission of offence. The details of the bank account(s) are as following:-

S.No.	Account Holder	Account No.
1.	Balaji Developers	920020025419770

3. You are hereby requested to kindly freeze the above mentioned bank account and prohibit the account holder(s) from operating this account till any further directions of the concerned Hon'ble Court."

2. Briefly summarized, the facts of the case are that the petitioner firms which are duly registered with the Registrar of Firms vide Certificate of Registration bearing No.240 of 2019-2020 dated 16.04.2019 and No.2820 of 2021 dated 03.03.2021 have approached this Court challenging the above said communications. It is averred that Vigilance Enquiry No.01 dated 25.07.2022 culminated into case FIR No.18 dated 12.10.2022 for commission of offence under section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 as amended and for offences under Sections 420 , 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120B of the INDIAN PENAL CODE was registered at Police Station Vigilance Bureau Flying Squad-I, Punjab, at Mohali. The complainant in the said case happens to be one Assist