- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC:12658 CRL.P No. 752 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 25TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 752 OF 2025 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)) BETWEEN: 1. AXIS BANK LTD A BANKING COMPANY, CARRYING ON THE BANKING BUSINESS UNDER THE BANKING REGULATION ACT, 1949, INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956 AND HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT 'TRISHUL', 3RD FLOOR, OPP: SAMARTHESHWAR TEMPLE, LAW GARDEN, ELLIS BRIDGE, AHMEDABAD-380 006, GUJARAT. AND HAVING ONE OF ITS BRANCH OFFICE AT G-02, AND F-102, SAMAAN LI, PRAHLADNAGAR, 100 FEET ROAD, SATELLITE, VEJALPUR, AHEMDABAD -380 015, GUJRAT. REPRESENTED BY ITS BRANCH HEAD, MR. SHAH HETA AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS ALSO AT W/O JAPAN 1003, ANAAHATA, TOWER, OPP 132 K Y A SUB STATION NEAR MAKARBA RAILWAY STATION VEJALPUR, AHMADABAD, GUJARAT-380051. …PETITIONER (BY SRI. UNNIKRISHNAN M., ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by R HEMALATHA Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC:12658 CRL.P No. 752 of 2025 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY RAMNAGARA CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, RAMNAGARA DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY SPP HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE-01. 2. SRI. RAVIKUMAR K AGED ABOUT 37 YEARS, S/O. KANTHARAJU M, RESIDING AT GANDHIGARA, OPOSITE JUNIOR COLLEGE, RAMNAGAR COLLEGE TOWN, RAMNAGARA, KARNATAKA-562 159. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. RAHUL RAI, HCGP FOR R1; SRI. PRABHUGOUD B. TUMBIGI, ADVOCATE FOR R2) THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNNS) BY THE ADVOCATE FOR THE PETITIONER PRAYING THAT THIS HONOURABLE COURT MAY BE PLEASED TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER, DATED 30.12.2023 PASSED THE HON'BLE COURT OF THE PRL.CIVIL JUDGE AND JMFC AT RAMANAGARA, IN CRIME NO.167/2022 i.e., ANNEXURE-C IN TERMS OF WHICH, THE PETITIONER IS DIRECTED TO DEFREEZE THE SAVINGS /CURRENT ACCOUNT BEARING A/C NO.922020027759241 MAINTAINED IN THE PETITIONER'S BANK AND TRANSFER THE SAME TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE RESPONDENT NO.2 AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC:12658 CRL.P No. 752 of 2025 ORAL ORDER The petitioner which is a Financial Institution is before this Court challenging the order passed by 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on an application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. by the complainants/respondent No.2 directing the petitioner-Bank to defreeze the amount belonging to the accused and transfer the said amount to the bank account of the complainants/respondent No.2. 2. The petitioner’s concern is that the order passed by the Jurisdictional Magistrate cannot be executed because it surpasses the specified release amount, and numerous courts across the Country have issued directives to the investigating agencies to unfreeze the bank accounts of the accused therein. 3. The learned High Court Government Pleader for the respondent No.1 - State on instructions would suggest that the matter may be remanded to the Jurisdictional Courts to consider the application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. afresh, by affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. 4. Admittedly, multiple cases are registered against the accused herein within the State and across the country and there are multiple orders passed by the Jurisdictional Magistrates directing the petitioner to unfreeze the account of the accused and transfer the amount to the bank account of the complainants. The passing of multiple orders has caused difficulty to the petitioner/bank in executing the said order, - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC:12658 CRL.P No. 752 of 2025 since the amount ordered to be released in some accounts exceeds the amount available in the subject accounts of the accused. Therefore, the learned Magistrate before passing an order directing the petitioner to unfreeze and transfer the amount to the accounts of the complainants, is required to hear the petitioner. Accordingly, the petition is allowed. The order dated 30.12.2023 passed in Crime No.167/2022 by the learned Prl. Civil Judge and JMFC at Ramangara, is hereby set aside. Sd/- (HEMANT CHANDANGOUDAR) JUDGE BKM List No.: 3 Sl No.: 0