No prior magistrate approval needed for police to freeze bank accounts during probe: Karnataka HC

The High Court has said that if the police would have to first approach the magistrate and wait for approval, then money lost in online fraud could pass through multiple accounts, cross jurisdictions, be converted or disappear entirely. The High Court of Karnataka has said that the police cannot be compelled to freeze bank accounts or seize certain assets only with the prior permission of the magistrate as per Section 107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) during the investigation when Section 106 of BNSS clearly empowers the police to first freeze accounts/seize assets and later intimate the magistrate.“Section 106 (Power of police officer to seize certain property) and 107 (Attachment, forfeiture or restoration of property) are complementary, not competitive; concurrent in