RBI, pvt banks be made parties in fake warrant-extortion case: U'khand HC

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The Uttarakhand High Court has directed that the Reserve Bank of India, private banks, and telecom companies be made parties in a case involving the issuance of fake non-bailable warrants in the name of state judges and police officers to extort money.

Money was embezzled through four bank accounts in the case.

Hearing a petition filed by Haridwar resident Surendra Kumar, a division bench of Chief Justice G Narendra and Justice Subhash Upadhyay said that the scam was not only about cheating the common people but also challenges the credibility of the system.

Having made the observation, the high court converted the petition into a public interest litigation.

Kumar, in his petition, said that a month ago, he received calls from two different numbers claiming that an NBW had been issued by the court of the Additional District Judge, Dehradun, and he had to deposit Rs 30,000 immediately.

He was given four different QR codes to deposit the money, he said.

According to the petitioner, Haridwar police were informed about the fake calls and codes, but no action was taken.

Petitioner's lawyer, Prabha Naithani, said that the NBW issued in the name of Additional District Judge, Dehradun, was fake because no such case is pending in any court, and neither is any such judge present in Haridwar or Dehradun.

Considering the scam as serious, the high court said that private banks may also be involved in this because all fraudulent accounts belong to private banks.

The court then directed the RBI, concerned private banks, and telecom companies be made parties in the case.