Mira Devi v. The Branch Manager, State Bank Of India,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA

Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.14999 of 2021 ====================================================== Mira Devi, Wife of Late Ramesh Chandra Dubey, aged about 70 years, female, Resident of Mohalla - Nayachak, Ishakchak, P.S. Ishakchak, District - Bhagalpur.

... ... Petitioner/s

Versus

1.

The Branch Manager, State Bank of India, Mirjanhat branch, Bhagalpur. 2.

The Regional Manager, State Bank of India Regional Business Office, Bhowesh Bhawan, Bitsan Road, Khanjarpur, Bhagalpur. 3.

The Chief General Manager, State Bank of India, Local Head Office, West Gandhi Maidan, Patna, Bihar.

4.

The Chairman, State Bank of India, State Bank Bhawan, 6th Floor, Madam Cama Road, Mumbai.

5.

The Regional Director, Reserve Bank of India, Bihar Regional Office, South Gandhi Maidan, Patna.

... ... Respondent/s ====================================================== Appearance :

For the Petitioner/s :

Mr. Ganpati Trivedi, Sr. Advocate Mr. Madan Mohan, Advocate Ms. Pallavi Pandey, Advocate For the State Bank of India :

Mr. Prabhat Ranjan, Advocate ====================================================== CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJAN GUPTA and HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE MOHIT KUMAR SHAH ORAL ORDER (Per: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJAN GUPTA) 06-04-2022 Heard learned counsel for the parties.

A question that arises in this writ petition is whether the respondent Bank is justified in not returning the contents of the locker maintained by the petitioner's husband after his death to his legal heirs. According to learned counsel for the petitioner, the locker contains certain gold and silver ornaments. The Bank has already opened the locker and prepared inventory.

Patna High Court CWJC No.14999 of 2021(4) dt.06-04-2022 2/2 On due consideration of the matter, Mr. Prabhat Ranjan, learned counsel for the Bank has raised objection that the petitioner has not produced a letter of administration. At this stage, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that he may be allowed to withdraw this petition with liberty to seek a letter of administration from the competent Court. We hereby direct that in case such an application is moved, the concerned Court shall decide the same expeditiously, in any case, not later than six months. The writ petition stands disposed off.

(Rajan Gupta, J) (Mohit Kumar Shah, J) P. Kumar U