A major relief has come for shopkeepers and business owners who accept online payments. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a strict order stating that the police cannot directly freeze a bank account without the permission of the Area Magistrate. This ruling came during the hearing of a case from Faridabad where a nursery operator suffered for months due to a small transaction.
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Why Was the Account Frozen for Just Rs 150?
The incident happened with Ajay Arora, who runs Fancy Cement Works Nursery at Ajronda Chowk in Faridabad. In 2024, a customer bought a plant and a pot from him for Rs 150 and paid via UPI. Later, it was found that this money was part of a cyber fraud chain. Because of this small amount, the police froze his entire bank account which had more than Rs 1 Lakh. Ajay tried to explain his situation to the police, but no one helped him.
What Did the High Court Say?
After struggling for 14 months, the victim approached the High Court in January 2025. The court gave a clear verdict in favor of the shopkeeper.
- The High Court ordered the immediate unfreezing of Ajay Arora’s bank account.
- The court ruled that under the new laws, police officers do not have the power to arbitrarily freeze accounts.
- To freeze any account, the police must first get a specific order from the Judicial Magistrate.
New Rules Under BNSS
This decision is very important for common people. Under Section 107 of the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), proper legal procedure must be followed to attach any property or money. The court has made it clear that innocent shopkeepers cannot be punished for receiving payments that might be linked to crimes they know nothing about. This will stop the harassment of merchants by the police in the name of cyber fraud investigation.
