The High Court · 2025

l9lcl .Bank, .Rep. by its Chief N4gnaget, ICICI Bank Towers, Financiat Dist, Plot No 12 Nanakramguda, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana SOOOgt - -'' AXIS BANK, Rep by its Chief trrlanager Ground Floor, Sriven Mall, I\/iyapur Rd., J P Nagar, CG'Empioyees Cotoiy, fvlayuri-f.fagar, frrfiyapui, HiOeiiU5O, Telangana 500049 Kotak [Mahindra bank Ltd, Rep. by its chief Manager Ground Floor - office No 1O3, Premier Building-, Plot No 35,36.41 and 47 Survey ruo ZO, trdOfripui Village, Senilingampally, Mandal, Hyderabad, Telangana SOOO8t American Express Banking Corp., Rep. by its Chief Manaoer. IrilG F '-iib lrl.elropolitan 7,h Floor, office Brock, Distiict ienter sat<et, r.tevrberhi 017.

7. Cards^3ld^P.aymgnts_Service_s Limited (SBt Card)., Rep. by its Chief .S.Pl Kql1qer, D_LF Cyber City, lqryg1^C, Btock 2, Buitding 3'DLF infinity Towers, 120, Floor, Gurugram, HR - 122002. B. IDFC FIRST BANK, Rep by its, Chief [Manager Ground Ftoor, plot No 6_7, Survey No 6p, poor No 1-i21lKzt_6-7, NearSy Athidhi Restuaiant, ttrtiyapur, Serilingampalle (lVl). Telangana 500049

9. TATA CAPITAL _Ltd, Rep. by its Chief lv,lanager, llth Floor, TowerA, peninsula 9^u^sLn.e_ss Park, Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, Lower parel, Mumbai, Maharastra - 400013

10.BAJAJ FINANCE Ltd, Rep. by its Chief Manager, 6tl- Corporate Office, Pune-Ahmednagar Road, Viman Naga 411014. Floor, Bajaj Finsery ', Pune, Maharastra -

11.RBL Bank Limited, Rep. by its Chief Manager Shop r Ground floor, Chanda Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 5t ( o 5-4110 and 5-4111 050

12. HDFC BANK Ltd, Rep by its Chief Manager PN 26, 33,1 House, Sy No 68, Allwyn Cross Road lvliyapur, Hyderat, i 8634/8, Gr Flr, Delta d - s00049

13. KRAZY BEE Services Prrvate Limited, Rep. by its Chie,l Stone Park, No.100, Above Honda Showroom, Saks^ Bannigana Hali, Karnataka- 560016 l,/anager, The Royal Nagar, Pai Layout, l4.lNDUS|ND Bank Limited, Rep by its Chief l\,4anager ' Floor, Miyapur Cross Roads, Bollaram, Telangana 500CI -248, Upper Ground 2

15. Newtap Finance Pvt Ltd, Rep. by its Chief lVlanager 43 Plot No.5 BHD, Sanjeeva ENC 7 Bunglows, Near J Maharashtra, 400061. 1, Uphar ll CHS Ltd, rhu Circle, Mumbai,

16. PayU Finance lndia Private Limited, Rep by its Chie Building, Officer No. '102 Secqnd Road, Khar West, tr 400 052 ' Manager Empresa rmbai. Maharshtra - IT KISETSU SAISON FINANCE PRIVATE LTD, Rep. tr, lndiQube Lexington Tower, First Floor, Tavarekere N1;l S.G. Palya, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560029. its Chief [Vanager, r Road, Tavarekere, lB.Whizdm Finance Private Limited, Rep. by its Chief Mar 1A, The Address Building, Outer Ring Road, Kaduber Bengaluru, Karnataka 560087 rger, Survey No. 17l sanahalli, Bellandur,

19. Early Salary Services Pvt Ltd, Rep. by its Chief lVlanagrr Chambers Viman Nagar Na, Pune, Pune, l\,ilaharastra r, Unit No. 404, The ...RESPONDENTS Petition under Artrcle 226 of the Constitution of lndia circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the I pleased to issue an appropriate Writ, Order, or Direction, m: nature of Writ of [\Iandamus, declaring the action of respor r attempting to recover amounts from the petitioner in an arbitrz handed manner without following the due process of law and i the Reserve Bank of India Circular dated 12.08.2022 beartr 108, DOR.ORG.REC.65/21 .04.15812022-23, and further dect, respondent No. 2 in enforcing the said Circular as unconstituti Articles 14. 19, and 21 of the Constitution of lndia, and cor respondent authorities to refrain from undertaking any r;r recovery measures against the petitioner and to strictly rx praying that in the ligh Court may be 'e particularly in the ent Nos. 3 to 19 in ry, illegal, and high- r blatant violation of tr No. RBll2O22-231 Lring the inaction of )nal and violative of ;equently direct the ercive or unlawful mply with the due -process of law and the aforesaid Circular in all recovery proceedings, and further restrain respondent Nos. 3 to 19, their agents, recovery agents, executives, managers, or any person acting on their behalf from engaging in any acts of intimidation, harassment, humiliation, or intrusion into the privacy of the petitioner or his family members, referees or friends, including persistent or anonymous calls, threatening messages, or physical visits to the petitioner's premises, and further direct respondent No. 2 to enforce the said RBI Circular in letter and spirit and to initiate appropriate and stringent action against the errant officials of respondent Nos. 3 to 19 for violating legal norms, and pending disposal of the writ petition, direct the respondent Nos. 3 to 19 not to resort to any coercive measures against the petitioner except through lawful means and in strict adherence to the Ci rcula r d ated 1 2.08.2022 Counsel for the Petitioner :SRl. BONTHU LOKESH PHANINDRA REDDY Counsel for the Respondent No.1 : Deputy Solicitor General of lndia Counsel for the Respondent No. 2 : SRI K. RATHANGA PAPNI REDDY Counsel for the Respondent No. I : SRI B. SRIHARI Counsel for the Respondent No. 10 : SRI R. MANGULAL Counsel for the Respondent No.12: SRI N.B. SUOHARSHAN Counsel for the Respondent No.14: SRI G. PRAVEEN KUMAR Counsel for the Respondent No. 17: Ms. K. RAMYA Counsel forthe Respondent No. 19: SRI M. DEVENDER REDDY Counsel for the Respondent Nos.3,4,5,6,7,9,1 1,13,15,16 & 18: --- The Court made the following: ORDER I I I I I t I I t I i I F i I I I I I i THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTTCE NAGESH BHI;EMAPAKA WRIT PETITION No.2593O oi 2025 o8_De3: Sri U. I-okesh Phanindra, learned counscl for !t: pet.itioner, learncd Standing Counscl for Central Government, for respc ndent No.1; Sri K. Rathanga Pani Red<i1,, learnecl counsel for respondenr rlo.2, Sri B. Srihari, learnccl cotrnscl for respondent No.8; Sri R. Mangulal. leanrcd counsel lor responclent No-1O; Sri N.B. Sudarshan, learnecl cou Lsel for respondent Nr>.I 2: Sri Pravee n Kumar Gajula, learnecl counsel l r responclent No.14; NIs. K. Ram_v., learrnecl counsel lor respondcnt No.17 : nd Sri M. Devender llecld_r,, Ie.rrned counseI for respondent No.19.

2. When rhe matter is taken up for hearing, l:arn,:d counsel for petitiorcr submitted that the issuc raised in this wr:t petrtion is squarely co'crecl b' the o rcler passcd by this Court in W. p. No I 2OO of 2024 , d,ated )5.O4 .2,021 and thercfore, the same order ma1, bc ;asse cl in this rvrit peLition as rvcli. The operative portion of the sard ordcr : .ads as under: II "8. For the aforesaid reasons ald as rl c procedure adoptcd trv the respondent Nos.4 to T for rc: )verv of loarr amoullt from thc petitioner, arnounts to violatir r of ihc rights guaranteed under Articles 14 atd 2l of the (l nstitution of Indra, this Court deems it appropriate rr direct the respondents, to ensure that the agents engagr( by them for rccovcrr- of thc loal amounts, shall stricri. fottou, the gr-ridelines and instructions issued by the Rc I :n e Bank of fndiS and also the judgments of the Hon?:le Sr preme Court in ICICI Bank Ltd Vs. prakash Kaur's casc ( supra) anrl ICICI Bank Vs. Shanti Devi Sharma,s case (2 , rprai. 9 \\rir tr the abovc sard direction, thc \,.i i perition is 2 disposcd ot.,, 3 Learned counsel for respondent Nos.1, 2, g, lO, 1,2, 14, 1'/ and t9 have no objecti.,'n

4. Accordingly, in tcrms of the ordcr passed by this Court rn W.P.No.52OO of 2024, d,ated 25.C4.2a24, and for rirc rcasons alikc, r.is u,rir petition is disposed of directing the respondcnt arrthorities and therr agents t. scnrpulously folrow the guicrclines / in s truc tio,s issueci by the Rescnc Bank of India in its circ.lar datecl 12.0g.2022 arr.l also riic juclgmc.rts of I,or-r'ble Supreme courr- i.i ICrcI Bank Ltd. v. prakash Kaur,rs c.:;e and ICICI Bank v. Shanti Dcvi Sharma,2s case, rr.hile rccovering thc loan amounts from the petitioner. No costs_ i t \ To, Per-rding misccllaneous applications, if zrnt., slreLll /and closed SD/. BHAVANI SWAMY S STANT REGISTRAR //TRUE COPY' SECTION OFFICER 1 . Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Union of lndia, New Delhi 2. Chief General Manager, Reserve Bank of lndia (RBl)' 6, Sansad Marg, New Delhi - 1 10001

3. Chief lvlanager, lClCl Bank, lClCl Bank Towers, Financial Dist, Plot No'12 Nanakramguda, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500032

4. Chief Manager, AXIS BANK, Ground Floor, Sriven fvlall, Miyapur Bd, J ? Nagar, CG- Employees Colony, Mayuri Nagar, Miyapur, Hyderabad, Telangana 500049

5. Chief lrlanager, Kotak Mahindra bank Ltd, Ground Floor - Office No 103, Premier Buihing, Plot No 35,36,41 and 42 Survey No 76, Madhapur Village, Senilingampally; Mandal, Hyderabad, Telangana 50008'1 '!:4E::'p-r.ryFr7 '. ..ir /

6. Chief lt4anager, American Express Banking Floor, Office-Block, District Center Saket, New Delhi '110 )17 ' -Cqrp.' N'( -F -N/etropolitan 7,h l I

7. Chief [\/anager, SBI Cards and Payments Services-Lirnl ld (SBl 9q'!) rP!! "Tower C, Block 2, BJilding 3 DLF lnfinitl lowers, 120' l-loor' Cyber City, Gurugram. HR - 122OO2.

8. Chief Manager, IDFC FIRST BANK, G.rounO. f tqgt, Pl() No 6-7, Survey No " - ttto 1-121lKzl6-7, Nearby Athidhi Fr stuarant, I\'4iyapur' Ooor - OS Serilingampalle (M), Telangana 500049 \ 9 chief l\,4anager, TATA CAPITAL Ltd, llth Floo_r, Tower I' Peninsula Business " Frr[, Gunpittro Kadam l\,4arg, Lower Parel' Mumbai, N4i] rarastra - 400013' 'lO Chief l\,4anager, BAJAJ FINANCE Ltd, 6th Floor, Bale Finsery Corporate - Otfi"", PunelAhmednagar Road, Viman Nagar' Pune, Ma larastra - 411014' 'l l.Chief Manager, RBL Bank Limited, Shop no-5-4/10 ani 5-4111 Ground floor' Chanda Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500050

12.Chief lt/anager, HDFC BANK Ltd, PN 26, 33/A8634/8 ]r Flr, Delta House' Sy No 68, Ailwyn Cross Road Miyapur, Hyderabad - 50Ct 49

13.Chief Manager, KRAZY BEE Services Private Limited, 1.1 e Royal Stone Park, - f.f".iOo, Abdve Honda Showroom, Sakshi Nagar' Pat LzLr cut, Bannigana Hali' Karnataka- 560016

14.Chief Manager. INDUSIND Bank Limited' 1-248, - rper Ground Floor, trrliyapur Crois Roads, Bollaram, Telangana 500052

15. Chief Manager. Newtap Finance Pvt Ltd 404, Uphar I IHS Ltd, Plot No 5 BHD, Sanje"eva ENC 7 Bunglows, Near Juhu Circle, l"l imbai, Maharashtra, 400061.

16.Chief Manager, PayU Finance lndia Private Limited Empres^a^ Building, Officer No. t"OZ S,:cond Road, KharWest, Mumbai, Mal: rshtra - 400 052 l7.chief lvlanager', KTSETSU sArsoN FTNANCE pRrv^tE LTD, tndieube Lexington Tower. First F,loor, Tavarekere Vain noaO, t. ,aret<"ie,'S ClpiV?, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560029. 18 Chief Mqrager 'y'Vhizdm_Finance private Limited, Sr'lr .ey No. .l 7/ 1A, The Address Buirdino ourer Ring noao, t<aouoJJt"nJhurri r"iru,iorr,'e."lrrrrl, Karnataka 56OOEZ '19 Chief Manager Early Salary S-e.rvices pvt Ltd, Unit N r 404, The Chambers Vi.nan Nagar Na. puhe, pune, Maharastra' -'-' -

20. One CC to SRt BONTHU LOKESH PHAN|NDRA REDI y Advocate tOpUCl 21. One CC to SRl. Deputy Solicitor General of lndia Advoca e [OpUC] 22.One CC to SRt K. RATHANGA pANt REDDY, Advoca r [OpUC] 23.One CC to SRt B. SRIHAR|, Advocate tOpUCl 24.One CCto SRt R MANGULAL, Advocate tOpUCl 25. One CC to SRt N B SUDHARSHAN Advocate tOpUCl 26.One CC to SRt c. PRAVEEN KU|VAR, Advocate [OpU,t 27 .One CC to IVls. K RAMYA, Advocate tOpUCl 28. One CC to SRt tV. DEVENDER REDDY, Advocate [OplJ ]l 29.Two CD Copies (+r f 6 I t -: ,: :.'. - - .-.\ ..1 \',i '?, -, ; fl ,l Lr; ;Uf t t ':: . '1,-. \ J'. ,.1 .- h ,i' ' '1 '.ii.\) - .i' " -<'-;1*_-:.-e--? I I l j I t t HIGH COURT DATED:0811012025 ORDER WP.No.25930 of 2025 DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS /'-A @ (A- T[N"r