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Judgment
Suvir Sehgal, J
1) This petition has been filed, INTER ALIA, for issuance of a writ, in the nature of mandamus, directing respondent No.1-bank to defreeze petitioner’s bank account maintained with HDFC Bank, Zira Branch, District Ferozepur.
2) Counsel for the petitioners states that petitioners are farmers and maintain savings account No.50200078787410 with respondent No.1-bank. He states that petitioners were informed by the bank that their account had been frozen pursuant to notice, Annexure P-2, from Cyber Crime Police Station, Ribandar, Goa under Section 94 of BNSS, 2023 for investigation of an online fraud. Counsel has made a categoric assertion that there is no allegation of deceit against petitioners, nor have petitioners been named as an accused in the said complaint.
3) Upon instructions from Ravinder Singh, Branch Manager, counsel for respondent No.1-bank states that the freeze has been applied on the basis of information received from Cyber Crime Police Station, Ribandar, Goa and asserts that total disputed amount is Rs.8,85,857.68. He has placed on record copies of communications received from cyber police.
4) I have heard counsel for the parties and considered their respective submissions.
5) A perusal of the communications received by bank show that vide letter, dated 01.12.2025, received from Cyber Crime Police Station, Ribandar, Goa, bank has been asked to transfer an amount of Rs.8,85,857.68 to complainant in compliance of order dated 28.11.2025 passed by Judicial Magistrate First Class, Margao. Despite transfer of the amount, bank has not de-freezed the account.
6) Keeping in view the observations made by a co-ordinate Bench of this Court in CWP-3464-2024 titled as Jaspreet Singh Versus Union of India and others, decided on 05.07.2024, respondent No.1-bank is directed to defreeze bank account No.50200078787410, as disputed amount has been remitted. Petitioners would be at liberty to utilize the remaining balance amount lying in their account, without prejudice to any other attachment order or any order for freezing the account.
7) Writ petition is disposed of.