Kerala High Court
Abdurahman Neeruttychali vs Punjab National Bank on 27 November, 2025
2025:KER:91819
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE M.A.ABDUL HAKHIM
THURSDAY, THE 27TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2025 / 6TH AGRAHAYANA,
1947
WP(C) NO. 23453 OF 2025
PETITIONER
ABDURAHMAN NEERUTTYCHALI,
AGED 32 YEARS,
(ADHAAR NO: 5155 8630 5246) VADAKETHODI HOUSE,
ELIYAPARAMBU,KAVANOOR, KAVANOOR, MALAPPURAM,
KERALA,
PIN - 673639
BY ADVS.
SHRI.SADIQALI. M
SHRI.MUHAMMAD SABIK
SHRI.MOHAMED SHAFI M.
RESPONDENTS
1 PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK,
REPRESENTED BY ITS MANAGER, VAZHAKKAD BRANCH,
EDAVANNAPARA, PB NO CHERUVAYUR, VAZHAKKAD,
MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA,
PIN - 673645
2 ASSISTANT POLICE INSPECTOR,
DR. D. B. MARG POLICE STATION, DR. D. B. MARG
(GRANT ROAD RAILWAY STATION EAST), SHAPUR BAUG,
GIRGAON, MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA,
PIN - 400007
3 STATION HOUSE OFFICER,
KOTWALI DEHAT POLICE STATION, KOTWALI DEHAT,
BIJNOR DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH,
PIN - 246764
2025:KER:91819
WP(C) No.23453 of 2025
2
4 STATION HOUSE OFFICER,
GODAVARIKHANI 1 TOWN POLICE STATION,
GODAVARIKHANI, RAMAGUNDAM, PEDDAPALLI DISTRICT,
TELANGANA,
PIN - 505209
5 STATION HOUSE OFFICER,
CYBER CRIME POLICE STATION, CENTRAL CRIME STATION
BUILDING (OLD COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE) BASEERBAGH,
HYDERABAD, TELANGANA,
PIN - 500029
OTHER PRESENT:
SRI.SANTHEEP ANKARATH, SC
THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR
ADMISSION ON 27.11.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
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WP(C) No.23453 of 2025
3
JUDGMENT
Dated this the 27th day of November, 2025
1. The Petitioner has filed this Writ Petition challenging the debit freezing/lien of his Bank account with the Respondent/Bank at the requisition of the Police Authorities. The case of the Petitioner is that the Petitioner is not an accused in the Crime registered by the Police authorities against some other persons, in which the requisition was made; that the Petitioner is in no way connected with the said Crime; and that the debit freezing/lien of the account is in violation of Sections 106 & 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and Article 300A of the Constitution of India.
2. The learned Counsel for the Respondent/Bank, after getting instructions from the Bank, confirmed that the Bank has received the Requisitions from the Respondent Nos.2 to 5 for a total amount of 2025:KER:91819 WP(C) No.23453 of 2025 4 Rs.18,975/- for debit freezing of the account of the Petitioner mentioned in the Writ Petition, and hence, the Bank has effected debit freezing of the account of the Petitioner.
3. The issue is covered by the decisions of this Court in Dr. Sajeer v. Reserve Bank of India [2024 (1) KLT 826], Nazeer K.T. v. Manager, Federal Bank, Makkaraparamba Branch [2024 KHC 768] and Abhiraj Rajan v. State of Kerala [2025 KHC 1676].
4. This Court has been consistently issuing the directions contained in the aforesaid decisions with two other directions for effecting uncommunicated/further requisitions for debit freeze/lien and making the frozen amount at the disposal of the jurisdictional Magistrate's Court. This Writ Petition is to be disposed of, incorporating the same directions.
5. Accordingly, this Writ Petition is disposed of with the following directions:
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i) The Respondent/Bank is directed to confine the order of freeze/lien against the account of the Petitioner only to the extent of the amounts mentioned in the orders/requisitions issued to the Bank by the Police Authorities, and it shall be done forthwith so as to enable the Petitioner to deal with his account and transact therein beyond that limit.
ii) The respondents - Police Authorities concerned are hereby directed to inform the Bank as to whether freezing/lien of the account of the Petitioner will require to be continued even in the aforesaid manner; and if so, for what further time, within a period of eight months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment.
iii) On the Bank receiving the aforesaid information/intimation from the Police Authorities, the Bank will adhere to it and complete necessary action - either continuing the freeze/lien for such period as mentioned therein; or withdrawing it, as the case may be.
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iv) If, however, no information or intimation is received by the Bank in terms of direction (ii) above, the Petitioner will be at full liberty to approach this Court again; for which purpose, all his contentions in the Writ Petitions are left open and reserved to him, to impel in the future.
v) The Police Officer concerned shall inform the Bank whether the seizure of 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 102 Cr.P.C. (Section 106 BNSS) is informed to the Bank within one month of receipt of a copy of the judgment, the Bank shall lift the freeze/lien imposed on the Petitioner's 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 officer concerned and retain proof of such service.
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vii) The directions of this Court in this judgment will not stand in the way of the Bank effecting freezing/lien based on the requisitions communicated in the future to the Bank with respect to the same account of the Petitioner, and in such case, the Petitioner will be at liberty to challenge the same.
viii) The frozen/lien amount, if any, lying in the account of the Petitioner in accordance with the aforementioned directions, shall be at the disposal of the jurisdictional Magistrate.
Sd/-
M.A.ABDUL HAKHIM JUDGE Cak 2025:KER:91819 WP(C) No.23453 of 2025 8 APPENDIX OF WP(C) NO. 23453 OF 2025 PETITIONER EXHIBITS EXHIBIT P1 A TRUE COPY OF THE LETTER SEND BY THE PETITIONER TO 1ST RESPONDENT DATED 23/06/2025 EXHIBIT P2 A TRUE COPY OF THE RELEVANT PAGE OF THE COMPLAINT DETAILS DATED NILL