THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL Writ Petition (Crl.) Nos.1816 to 1818 of 2025 and W.P.M.P.(Crl.) No.853 of 2025 Shankar @ Savukku Shankar S/o.

2025:MHC:3030
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 30.12.2025
C O R A M
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE S.M.SUBRAMANIAM
AND
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.DHANABAL
Writ Petition (Crl.) Nos.1816 to 1818 of 2025 and
W.P.M.P.(Crl.) No.853 of 2025
Shankar @ Savukku Shankar S/o.Late Achimuthu … Common Petitioner
-vs-
The Inspector of Police, J1-Saidapet Police Station, Chennai.
(Crime No.519/2025) … Common Respondent
Prayer:
W.P.(Crl.) No.1816 of 2025:
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Mandamus directing the respondent to forthwith unseal the petitioner’s office premises situated at No.111, Aranganathan Illam, 2nd Floor, Jai Kasthuri Parthasarathy Nagar, 3rd Street, Adambakkam, Chennai – 600 088 and further forbearing the respondent from deploying the police personnel in the entrance of petitioner’s office premises.
W.P.(Crl.) No.1817 of 2025:
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Mandamus directing the respondent police to forthwith return and hand over to the petitioner, all articles, digital devices, storage media, cameras, electronic gadgets, cash and documents seized from the petitioner on 13.12.2025 and 17.12.2025 pending the final adjudication by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in W.P.(Crl.) No.395 of 2022 – Foundation for Media Professionals v. Union of India & others. W.P.(Crl.) No.1818 of 2025:
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Mandamus directing the respondent police to forthwith defreeze the following bank Accounts, namely (i) Savings Bank Account No.24760100034679 standing in the name of Shankar with Bank of Baroda, T.Nagar, (ii) Savings Bank Account No.24760100010548 standing in the name of Malathi with bank of Baroda, Wimco Nagar Branch, (iii) Savings Bank Account No.208100050600012 standing in the name of Malathi with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch, (iv) Current Account No.208150050801042 standing in the name of Savukku Consultants Private Limited with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch and (v) Fixed Deposit Account No.208200400103190 standing in the name of Malathi with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch
etc.,
For Petitioner : Mr.M.Ramamoorthi
[in all W.Ps.] for Mr.P.Rajkumar Pandian
For Respondent : Mr.Vikas Singh, Senior Advocate
[in all W.Ps.] assisted by Mr.R.Muniyapparaj,
Additional Public Prosecutor *****
C O M M O N O R D E R
(By S.M.SUBRAMANIAM,J.,)
These writ petitions in W.P.(Crl.) Nos.1816, 1817 & 1818 of
2025 have been instituted for the following reliefs respectively:
(a) directing the respondent to forthwith unseal the petitioner’s office premises situated at No.111, Aranganathan Illam, 2nd Floor, Jai Kasthuri Parthasarathy Nagar, 3rd Street, Adambakkam, Chennai – 600 088 and further forbearing the respondent from deploying the police personnel in the entrance of petitioner’s office premises.
(b) directing the respondent police to forthwith return and hand over to the petitioner, all articles, digital devices, storage media, cameras, electronic gadgets, cash and documents seized from the petitioner on 13.12.2025 and 17.12.2025 pending the final adjudication by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in W.P.(Crl.) No.395 of 2022 – Foundation for Media Professionals v. Union of India & others.
(c) directing the respondent police to forthwith defreeze the following bank Accounts, namely (i) Savings Bank Account
No.24760100034679 standing in the name of Shankar with Bank of Baroda, T.Nagar, (ii) Savings Bank Account No.24760100010548 standing in the name of Malathi with bank of Baroda, Wimco Nagar Branch, (iii) Savings Bank Account No.208100050600012 standing in the name of Malathi with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch, (iv) Current Account No.208150050801042 standing in the name of Savukku Consultants Private Limited with Tamilnad Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch and (v) Fixed Deposit Account No.208200400103190 standing in the name of Malathi with Tamilnad
Mercantile Bank, Maduravoyal Branch etc.,
2. Mr.Vikas Singh, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr.R.Muniyapparaj, learned Additional Public Prosecutor for the State would submit that a report has been filed by the Investigating Officer before the Magistrate Court in respect of the properties
seized/attached/sealed. Once the report is filed before the Magistrate under the relevant provisions of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 [BNSS], the procedures as contemplated under Sections 105, 106 and 107 of BNSS, as the case may be, are to be followed scrupulously. The petitioner states that certain properties, which are all unconnected with the crime have been seized/attached. In respect of such grievance, an aggrieved person has to approach the Magistrate Court and on receipt of any such petition, the Judicial Magistrate has to follow the procedures as
contemplated under the relevant provisions of BNSS, by affording
opportunity to the parties concerned and passing appropriate orders.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner would seek liberty to file
a petition. Thus, the petitioner is at liberty to approach the Judicial Magistrate concerned seeking appropriate relief and on filing of any such
petition, the Judicial Magistrate shall follow the procedures as contemplated under the BNSS and pass final orders on merits and in accordance with law as expeditiously as possible without causing any undue delay.
4. It is needless to state that both the parties have to co-
operate for early disposal of the petition. In the event of non-cooperation, the same may be recorded by the Judicial Magistrate and appropriate
orders are to be passed.
Accordingly, all the writ petitions are disposed of. No costs. Connected miscellaneous petition is closed.
(S.M.S,J.,) (P.D.B,J.,)
30.12.2025
Index: Yes / No Internet: Yes / No gm/ar
To:
1.The Inspector of Police, J1-Saidapet Police Station, Chennai.
(Crime No.519/2025)
2.The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.
S.M.SUBRAMANIAM, J.
AND
P.DHANABAL , J.
gm/ar
Writ Petition (Crl.) Nos.1816 to 1818 of 2025
30.12.2025