PADMAJA RAMACHANDRAN Vs. THE STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In view of the inter-connectivity of the issue and also common array of parties, both the writ petition and the criminal original petition are being considered and decided by this common order.

(2.) The facts in brief leading to the filing of the writ petition are as under: 2. 1 On the complaint lodged by one Dr. Ranjith Sindoori, the Inspector of Police, Economic Offences Wing-II, Chennai, registered a case in Cr. No.5 of 2015 on 01.04.2015 under Section 5 of the Tamil Nadu Protection of Interest of Depositors (in financial establishments) Act, 1997 (for short "the TNPID Act") and Section 420 IPC against Helios and Matheson Information Technology Ltd. (for short "Helios and Matheson") (A1) and 6 others. 2. 2 The sum and substance of the allegation in the FIR is that Helios and Matheson (A1) had collected deposits from various persons and that the said company had failed to return the same to its depositors. 2. 3 During the course of investigation, the police identified 13 bank accounts relating to Helios and Matheson (A1) and submitted a report to the State Government for attaching those accounts under Section 3 of the TNPID Act. Accordingly, the second respondent, by G.O. Ms.No.663, Home (Police- XIX) Department dated 24.08.2017, ordered attachment of the monies lying in the said 13 accounts, including the joint Current Account of Padmaja Ramachandran and her daughter Divya Ramachandran, bearing no.395702010007700 with Union Bank of India, Mylapore Branch, wherein, a sum of Rs. 11,62,982.45 is available. 2. 4 This writ petition has been filed by Padmaja Ramachandran challenging G.O. Ms.No.663, Home (Police-XIX) Department dated 24.08.2017 insofar as it relates to her account.

(3.) Heard Mr. Nithyaesh Natraj, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr.T. Elumalai, learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the State in the writ petition and Ms. Kritika Kamal, P., learned Government Advocate (Criminal Side) appearing for the State in the criminal original petition.