In Brief
Punjab National Bank denied that it had executed a 1990 agreement with customer Atmanand Singh to hold Rs. 14.93 lakh in deposit, claiming all documents were forged. The High Court's single judge and division bench nonetheless allowed Singh's writ petition, directing the Bank to pay the claimed amount. The Supreme Court allowed the Bank's appeal, holding that where core factual issues are disputed and foundational documents' authenticity is contested, the High Court should not entertain a writ petition under Article 226. Instead, parties should be relegated to a civil suit where full evidence can be presented and defences properly considered. The writ petition was dismissed with liberty to pursue alternative legal remedies.
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