MADHU.K., Vs. SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE, MARAYAMUTTOM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is the 9th accused in Crime No.926/2019 of Marayamuttam Police Station registered under Sections 406, 420, 465, 467 and 468 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code,1860 (for short, 'the IPC '). During the course of the investigation of the crime, the third respondent, Branch Manager, State Bank of India, Perumkadavila branch, suspended the operation of petitioner's Savings Bank account No.67031821151 and Cash Credit account No.37310035507 on 18.02.2020 acting upon Ext.P9 request addressed to him by the second respondent, Sub Inspector of Police. Being aggrieved by the freezing of accounts, the petitioner filed this writ petition seeking a declaration that Ext.P9 requisition as well as the consequential freezing is illegal and liable to be quashed. A direction commanding the third respondent to de-freeze the accounts was also sought in the writ petition.

(2.) The petitioner is a contractor by profession and a member of the Director Board of Marayamuttam Service Co-operative Bank (hereinafter, 'the Co-operative Bank'). The co-accused in Crime No.926/2019 are either the members of the Board or the employees of the Bank. The Crime was registered on the motion of a farmer, who is one of the beneficiaries of poultry farming scheme introduced by the Bank in the year 2015-16. The bank introduced the farming scheme by which the beneficiaries were provided with chicken, cages and feed free of cost on condition that the farmers ought to supply in return, the eggs to the Bank, for which the farmers were to get the maintenance charges.

(3.) The de facto complainant claims to have supplied the eggs as undertaken, for a period of one year and the entries evidencing receipt of eggs from him were recorded by the Bank in the passbook maintained in his name. According to him, an amount of Rs.3,37,654/- due towards the maintenance charges for the year were not yet paid to him.