- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR CRIMINAL PETITION NO.8328 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 GROUND FLOOR, G.O. SQUARE SURVEY NO.249(P), 240(P) 251(P), HINJEWADI ROAD, WAKAD, PUNE, MAHARASTRA-411 057. REPRESENTED BY ITS BRANCH HEAD MR. PRASHANT KUMAR SINGH AGED ABOUT 44 YEARS, ALSO AT: S NO.234, PLOT NO.79, SHIVRATNA BANGLOW LANE NO.3 AIRPORT ROAD, SANJAY PARK, LANAGOAN PUNE, POJA STATION M.H.- 411 032. …PETITIONER (BY SMT. LAKSHMI T., ADVOCATE FOR SRI. UNNIKRISHNAN M., ADVOCATE) Digitally signed by H K HEMA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY WHITEFIELD CEN CRIME POLICE STATION, WHITEFIELD DIVISION, BANGALORE DISTRICT REPRESENTED BY SPP, HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, BANGALORE - 01. 2. SRI MALLIKARJUN PUJARI S/O SIDDAPPA, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, RESIDING AT 37/2, 15TH CROSS, SOMESHWAR NILAYA, PRAGATHI LAYOUT WEST, MARATAHALLI, BENGALURU - 560 037 KARNATAKA. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI NAGESHWARAPPA K., HCGP FOR R.1; NOTICE TO R.2 IS DISPENSED WITH VIDE COURT ORDER DATED 24.06.2025.) THIS CRIMINAL PETITION IS FILED UNDER SECTION 482 OF CR.P.C., PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER, DATED 12.07.2024 PASSED BY THE HON'BLE COURT OF THE 45TH ADDITIONAL CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE, BENGALURU, IN CRIME NO.654/2024 I.E., ANNEXURE-C IN TERMS OF WHICH, THE PETITIONER IS DIRECTED TO DEFREEZE THE CURRENT ACCOUNT BEARING A/C.NO.923020013230995 MAINTAINED IN THE PETITIONER'S BANK AND TRANSFER THE SAME TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE RESPONDENT NO.2, ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 ORAL ORDER In this petition, the petitioner has sought for the following reliefs: "a) To set-aside the Order, Dated: 12.07.2024 passed by The Hon'ble Court of the 45th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, in Crime No.654/2024 i.e., ANNEXURE 'C' in terms of which, the Petitioner is directed to defreeze the current account bearing A/c. No.923020013230995 maintained in the Petitioner's Bank and transfer the same to the account of the Respondent No.2. b) To pass such other orders as may be deemed expedient in the circumstance of the case and in the interest of justice." 2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and learned HCGP for respondent No.1 and perused the material on record. 3. In addition to reiterating the various contentions urged in the memorandum of petition and referring to the material on record, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the issue in - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 controversy involved in the present petition is directly and squarely covered by the judgment of the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Axis Bank Ltd., Vs. The State of Karnataka and Anr. – Crl.P.No.1787/2023 dated 14.12.2023, and the present petition may be disposed of in the above terms. 4. As rightly contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner, the issue in controversy in the present petition is covered by the judgment of this Court in the case of Axis Bank Ltd. supra, wherein it is held as under: “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 complainant/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. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 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. Learned Special Public Prosecutor 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, 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 - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 an order directing the petitioner to unfreeze and transfer the amount to the accounts of the complainants, is required to hear the petitioner. Accordingly, I pass the following: ORDER i. Criminal Petition is allowed. ii. The order dated 26.11.2021 passed by the 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru in Cr.No.452/2021 is hereby set aside. iii. Matter is remanded to 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bengaluru to reconsider the application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. afresh, after giving the opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. 5. Till the application is disposed of, the petitioner/bank is restrained from releasing the money in favour of any person from the subject account.” 5. In view of the above, the petition is disposed of in terms of the order passed in the case of Axis Bank Ltd. supra. - 7 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:21998 CRL.P No. 8328 of 2025 6. Accordingly, I pass the following: ORDER i. The petition is hereby allowed. ii. The order dated 12.07.2024 passed by the XLV Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, in Crime No.654/2024 is hereby set aside. iii. Matter is remanded to XLV Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru, to reconsider the application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. afresh, after giving the opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. iv. Till the application is disposed of, the petitioner / bank is restrained from releasing the money in favour of any person from the subject account. Subject to the aforesaid observations and directions, the petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (S.R.KRISHNA KUMAR) JUDGE hkh.