Mrs Santha Sethuraja Panicker v. State of Maharashtra
MPID Act – Defreezing of bank accounts
Case brief
What is this about?
Bombay High Court, Criminal Appeal No. 235 of 2024, decided 24 June 2025 (Gadkari & Patil, JJ.). Appeal under Section 11, MPID Act 1999 by Mrs. Santha Sethuraja Panicker, wife of Late K.N. Sethuraja Panicker (original Accused No.5), against rejection of her application for defreezing of three bank accounts of her deceased husband (Order dated 6 July 2023 below Exhibit 12, MPID Special Case No. 383/2021). Held: on the Appellant's undertaking to return the amounts if directed at the conclusion of the trial, and with no objection from the Investigating Agency (CID Pune), the impugned order was set aside, the appeal was allowed in terms of prayer clause (b), and defreezing was ordered within three working days of filing of the undertaking. Keywords: MPID Act; defreezing; frozen bank accounts; deceased accused's wife; undertaking; Exhibit 12; CID Pune.
What did the court decide?
Impugned Order dated 6th July 2023 (below Exhibit 12 in MPID Special Case No. 383/2021) set aside; Appeal allowed in terms of prayer clause (b); Appellant to furnish undertaking before the Trial Court; Investigating Agency to defreeze the three bank accounts within three working days of filing of the undertaking.