A special court last week directed de-freezing of bank accounts of Zaid Vilatra, accused in the drug case related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, observing that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had seized it illegally.
Additional Sessions Judge DB Mane, on January 4, passed the order while hearing an application filed by Vilatra seeking de-freezing of their bank accounts.
Vilatra had claimed that his bank informed him in October 2021 that his bank accounts had been seized and hence were stopping all the transactions. Besides, he claimed that there were no allegations that bank accounts had any proceeds related to the alleged crime.
Also, the NCB had failed to inform regarding the freezing of accounts as required under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The NCB opposed the plea contending that their investigation was still in progress.
However, the court accepted Vilatra’s contention that the police officer was required to report a seizure to the magistrate.
While allowing the bank accounts be de-frozen, the court order reads: “In absence of such report, the said act of the investigating officer is held to be illegal. Though the learned SPP filed the reply, the said reply is silent on the point of compliance of sub-section 3 of Section 102 of the CrPC.”
The court has also asked Vilatra to “give a written undertaking” in an affidavit stating that during the pendency and conclusion of the trial of the case, he shall make the balance amount, of Rs 7.9 lakh, available to this court for passing necessary orders, as & when required.
The NCB zonal officer has been directed to issue necessary letters to the concerned banks.
In the same case, the court has allowed plea by another accused Jai Madhok for return of his passport for limited purpose for its renewal and direction to the concerned passport authorities to renew the passport for period of five years.
His passport was deposited with the NCB as a part of his bail condition.
The court has asked the NCB to return his passport for renewal purpose for three weeks.
“The applicant/accused (Madhok) shall re-deposit the said passport immediately after the renewal of the same,” said court.
