Summary of the Case
The petitioner, Anshu, a 20-year-old resident of Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, approached the Court after her SBI Bank account (No. 38597767249) was entirely frozen. The freeze was initiated following cybercrime complaints received from various states, including Telangana, West Bengal, and Maharashtra, which led to a request from the Police Station Banashankari, Bangalore City.
The petitioner maintained that she had no connection to any cybercrime and argued that freezing her entire account was arbitrary and illegal. She further stated her willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Court’s Directives and Decision
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand disposed of the petition on September 18, 2025, providing relief to the petitioner while ensuring the security of the disputed funds:
- Account Defreezing: The Court directed SBI Bank to defreeze the petitioner’s account, allowing her to operate it and perform regular transactions.
- Targeted Freeze: Instead of a blanket freeze, the respondents were directed to freeze only the disputed amount allegedly involved in the fraudulent transaction.
- Restitution: The bank was granted liberty to transfer the disputed amount back to the original account from which it was credited.
- Petitioner’s Obligations:
- The petitioner must cooperate with bank authorities and investigating agencies, appearing before them as required.
- She is prohibited from closing or discontinuing the account until permitted by the authorities.
- If subsequent investigation finds her involved in illegal activity, she will be liable to pay the involved amount and face inquiry per law.