- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 23RD DAY OF JUNE, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO. 11439 OF 2026 (GM-RES) BETWEEN: SRISHANTH SANKAR ANBALAGAN AGED ABOUT 20 YEARS, R/AT 002, TRINITY MEADOWS C/O NITHYA SUBBARAMAN, PO BELLANDUR, APARTMENT COMPLEX, BELLANDUR MAIN ROAD, BENGALURU - 560 103 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. VIVEK R., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE BY BEGUR POLICE STATION 737, 1, BEGUR ROAD, VISHWAPRIYA NAGAR, BEGUR, BENGALURU - 560 114 2. THE MANAGER CENTRAL BANK OF INDIA, HSR LAYOUT NO.395, 10TH MAIN, 7TH SECTOR, HSR LAYOUT, BENGALURU - 560 102 …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. B.N. JAGADEESHA, SPP-I FOR R1) Digitally signed by PADMAVATHI B K Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 THIS WP IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA READ WITH SECTION 528 OF BNSS 2023 PRAYING TO1. TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ORDER DATED 13.02.2026 IN CRIME NO.209/2025 ON THE FILE OF 9TH ADDL CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE AT BANGALORE AT ANNEXURE -A AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA ORAL ORDER The petitioner is before the Court calling in question an order dated 13.02.2026 in Crime No.209/2025 passed by the concerned Court rejecting the application filed by the petitioner under Sections 497 and 503 of the BNSS and the consequential direction for defreezement of the account of the petitioner is also sought. 2. Heard Sri. Vivek.R., learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri. B.N.Jagadeesha, learned State Public Prosecutor-I for respondent No.1. - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 3. The petitioner, a boy of 20 years is now before the Court seeking a direction to defreeze the account that he holds in Central Bank of India - a current account. The facts that led to the marking of the lien of the account of the petitioner is that a transaction happened on 03.09.2025 on a crypto currency platform. Based upon the said transaction, immediately, a crime came to be registered by the cyber crime wing in Crime No.209/2025. Pursuant to the registration of the crime, the account of the petitioner, wherever it was, was directed to be frozen. The axe of such freezement falls upon the account of the petitioner in the Central Bank of India. The petitioner then files an application under Section 497 and 503 of the BNSS seeking defreezement of the account. The concerned Court rejected the said application by the following order: "REASONS 06. Point No.1:- The petitioner has produced his Aadhar Card and statement of account, PAN Card, IT return acknowledgment. copies of what's app chat and receipt of Binance. But, the complainant has filed the complaint for online investment cyber fraud, where the accused persons committed fraud to her and her husband by providing telegram IDs assuring her to provide work from home and assigned review updates about hotels and credited salary amount to her and her - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 husband account. When she transferred the amount of Rs.2.25.600/- time to time as per the request of the accused. Later, she came to know about the fraud committed by accused. Now, the investigation is still under the process. It is yet to be trace out amounts of the complainant and her husband credited into whose accounts etc., and to trace out the connection between the petitioner and accused if any. Hence, it is not just and proper to de-freeze the account of the petitioner at this stage. Hence, for the reasons discussed supra, I answer Point No.1 in the Negative. 8. Point No.2:- For the aforesaid reasons, I proceed to pass the following: ORDER The claim petition filed U/Sec.497 & 503 of BNSS by the claimant petitioner to de-freeze his account i.e., Central Bank of India, Account No.5836029138 is hereby rejected." 4. Learned State Public Prosecutor-I has placed on record the papers of investigation conducted in Crime No.209/2025 and would highlight the fact that the petitioner, a 20 year old boy has opened the subject account and has done about 19 transactions. All the 19 transactions are a suspect, as they emanate of certain investment fraud or crypto currency fraud from various parts of the nation. Therefore, he would submit that the petitioner has indulged himself in a part-time job fraud or an investment fraud or an OTP scam or crypto currency scam. The amounts that are received to the account - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 of the petitioner have all emanated from the persons, who are involved in the said frauds. Therefore, it is a clear case of cyber crime perpetrated at the hands of the petitioner albeit prima facie. 5. What shocks the conscience of the Court is the application of the petitioner for opening a current account. Every place that has to be filled, is left blank. For illustration, the date of birth of the petitioner is depicted as Bangalore and every other thing is said as not applicable. Except the mobile number and the name of the petitioner, nothing else is found in the current account opening form. Central Bank of India is a Bank by the Government, which is a State under Article 12. The bank involved in banking transactions of opening of account cannot display such callousness in opening of an account; current account in particular, without looking into the business of the account holder. The petitioner as observed herein above is 20 years old, opens a current account in a form that has nothing in it, except the mobile number, the name of the petitioner and the name of the mother. Therefore, the Banks - 6 - HC-KAR NC: 2026:KHC:31170 WP No. 11439 of 2026 should be strictly admonished in permitting opening of accounts of this nature, particularly the current accounts of this nature. 6. In that light, there is no warrant of directing the defreezement of the account of the petitioner. The order of the concerned Court does not warrant any interference. Finding no merit in the petition, the petition stands dismissed. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE BH List No.: 2 Sl No.: 19