The woman approached the court after her SBI bank account was subjected to a debit freeze following a cybercrime agency’s allegation of a suspicious transaction. (AI-generated)The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed State Bank of India (SBI) to unfreeze a woman’s bank account which was frozen following cybercrime authorities’ instructions, barring Rs 2.01 lakh linked to an allegedly suspicious transaction. The court ordered the disputed amount to be kept in a fixed deposit (FD), while allowing the petitioner to operate the remaining balance.Justice Sandeep N Bhatt was dealing with the woman’s plea challenging the debit freeze imposed on her bank account following an alleged suspicious cybercrime-linked transaction.“Within three months, as it is expected from the cybercrime police to proceed in accordance with law under Section 102 of CrPC, or any other law on which they are relying, failing which the amount so kept in FDs may also be allowed to be withdrawn by the petitioners under intimation to the cybercrime agencies,” the court said on August 31.The court observed that the entire bank account need not remain frozen just because a particular amount has been flagged as suspicious by cybercrime authorities.Account frozen over ‘cyber fraud’The woman approached the court after her SBI account was subjected to a debit freeze following a cybercrime agency’s allegation of a suspicious transaction. She sought removal of the freeze while agreeing that the disputed amount could be separately secured. Justice Sandeep N Bhatt held that the woman’s case was squarely covered by its earlier decision in Malcolm Murayis v State Bank of India.She stated to be engaged in the trading of crypto and virtual currency, and to have accounts with SBI and ICICI Bank, which have been frozen all of a sudden, based on intimation from the cyber cells of various police stations on allegations of involvement in cyber fraud.Also Read | Jharkhand High Court orders CID probe into teacher recruitment scam, demands arrestsThe counsel for the petitioner submitted that they never received any notice from any police station regarding their involvement in any such offence, and even otherwise, they are lawfully carrying out their business of trading, and it appears that some person who was involved in fraud has transacted through the petitioners.Story continues below this adIt was submitted that the petitioner may be allowed to operate their bank account, and the amount which is said to be credited on account of the cyber fraud may be kept in a separate fixed deposit so that it can be withdrawn when the clean chit is given to the petitioner.Keep only disputed amount in FD: OrderThe court held that the woman’s case was squarely covered by its earlier decision in Malcolm Murayis v State Bank of India, which dealt with bank accounts frozen following cybercrime allegations.Following the Malcolm Murayis order, the court directed the SBI to keep only the disputed amount of Rs 2,01,263.58 in a fixed deposit. The amount can be released only after appropriate orders from the competent judicial magistrate within three months.Also Read | How well does India’s food safety rulebook protect what actually lands on your plate?The court further directed that the petitioner’s bank account be unfrozen, and clarified that any remaining amount in the account was not required to be kept frozen.Story continues below this ad“Bank can keep the disputed amount i.e. Rs 2.01 lakh as informed to him by the crime agencies in fixed deposits, which shall be allowed to be liquidated only after the orders are passed by the competent Judicial Magistrate within three months as it is expected from the police agency to proceed in accordance with law…failing which the amount so kept in FD may also be allowed to be withdrawn by the petitioner under intimation to the Police agency,” it stated.Jagriti Rai works with The Indian Express (Digital), where she writes from the vital intersection of law, gender, and society. Working on a dedicated legal desk, she focuses on translating complex legal frameworks into relatable narratives, exploring how the judiciary and legislative shifts empower and shape the consciousness of citizens in their daily lives. Expertise Socio-Legal Specialization: Jagriti brings a critical, human-centric perspective to modern social debates. Her work focuses on how legal developments impact gender rights, marginalized communities, and individual liberties. Diverse Editorial Background: With over 4 years of experience in digital and mainstream media, she has developed a versatile reporting style. Her previous tenures at high-traffic platforms like The Lallantop and Dainik Bhaskar provided her with deep insights into the information needs of a diverse Indian audience. Academic Foundations: Post-Graduate in Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), India’s premier media training institute. Master of Arts in Ancient History from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), providing her with the historical and cultural context necessary to analyze long-standing social structures and legal evolutions. ... Read More