MARUFA BEGUM Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Sri Vikas Rastogi, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Shailesh Kumar Pandey, learned panel counsel for the respondent-Bank and Sri Pradeep Kumar Shahi, learned Additional Chief Standing Counsel for the State respondents.

(2.) This petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India against the action of freezing of the bank account of petitioner by the respondent bank with the prayer to issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing respondent bank (Respondent no. 5) to defreeze the Saving Account No. 43390100002893 of Bank of Baroda, Branch Imamganj, Mooratganj, District-Kaushambi and to permit the petitioner to withdraw the amount from her aforesaid account.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is employed as a Shikshamitra (Teacher) at Prathmik Vidyalaya, Sakhadha, Block Mooratganj, District Kaushambi. The salary of the petitioner is credited into her savings account maintained with Bank of Baroda, Imamganj Branch, Mooratganj, bearing Account No. 43390100002893. It is stated that on 1/9/2022, an amount of Rs.35,000.00 was credited to the said account from Account No. 99980103448713, IFSC FDRL0001306, maintained with Federal Bank, Puthiyara Branch (Gujarat). Subsequently, the petitioner's aforesaid account was freezed by the respondent Bank. It is further submitted that upon inquiry, the petitioner was orally informed by the officials of the respondent Bank that the said amount of Rs.35,000.00 had been transferred by one Mustaq Ali and that the Anand Cyber Crime Branch, Gujarat Police, had directed the Bank to block the petitioner's account in connection with the aforesaid transaction.