The court emphasized that the freezing of bank accounts must be limited to specific requisition amounts and required police to comply with reporting obligations.

J U D G M E N T

The petitioner approached this Court aggrieved by the freezing of his account maintained at the Kozhikode Mavoor Road Branch of the 1^st respondent–Bank.

2. Heard the learned Standing Counsel for the Bank and learned Central Government Counsel appearing for respondents 2 to 4.

3. Learned Standing Counsel for the bank submitted that the freezing of the petitioner's account was based on a requisition from the 4^th respondent with respect to an amount of Rs.2,11,447/-. It is further submitted that no other requisition has been received from any other police authority.

In the facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the view that this writ petition can be disposed of with the following directions:

(i) The 1^st respondent Bank is directed to confine the freezing of the petitioner's bank account only to the extent of the amount mentioned in the order/requisition issued by the Police Authorities.

This shall be done forthwith, so as to enable the petitioner to transact through his account beyond the said limit;

(ii) The Police Authorities concerned are hereby directed to inform the Bank as to whether freezing of the petitioner's account will be required to be continued even in the aforesaid manner; and if so, for how long;

(iii) On the Bank receiving the aforesaid information/intimation from the Police Authorities, they shall comply with it and complete necessary action - either continuing the freezing for such period as mentioned therein; or withdrawing it, as the case may be;

(iv) If, however, no information or intimation is received by the Bank in terms of direction (ii) above, the petitioner will be at liberty to approach this Court again; for which purpose, all contentions raised in this Writ Petition are left open;

(v) The police officers concerned shall inform the Bank whether the seizure of the amount in the bank account has been reported to the jurisdictional Magistrate and if not, the time limit within which the seizure will be reported. If no intimation as to the compliance or the proposal to comply with Section 106 of the BNSS is received by the Bank within two months of receipt of a copy of this judgment, the Bank shall lift the freezing or remove the lien, as the case may be, on the petitioner's bank account;

(vi) In order to enable the Police to comply with the above direction, the Bank, as well as the petitioner, shall forthwith serve a copy of this judgment to the police officer concerned and retain proof of such service.

The writ petition is ordered accordingly.