Karnataka high court allows ailing professor's wife to access his bank accounts

Time of India

14-05-2025

Bengaluru:
Karnataka high court
has authorised the wife of a bedridden
professor
to operate his
bank accounts
to access funds to manage his medical and also household expenses.Justice M Nagaprasanna gave the ruling, allowing a petition filed by Sandya, a Bengaluru resident and wife of Dr HV Anil Kumar.Sandya sought the court's intervention after her husband was diagnosed with
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
, a rare neurological disorder, requiring continuous mechanical ventilation.
Dr Kumar was hospitalised shortly before he retired on Nov 12, 2024.Since June 23, 2024, he is under intensive care and on ventilator support. Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute's neurology department confirmed his condition on Nov 29, 2024.Despite providing documentation with a plea to access Dr Kumar's three bank accounts (two in State Bank of India, and one in Indian Overseas Bank), the banks did not act upon her requests, compelling her to seek judicial intervention.
The banks submitted that Dr Kumar's accounts had been "inoperative" for some time.Sandya's counsel H Venkatesh Dodderi said Dr Kumar had been in ICU for over nine months, unable to sign documents due to his comatose state.After reviewing the evidence, Justice Nagaprasanna noted that medical certificates consistently indicated Dr Kumar's inability to write or move due to severe limb weakness. The judge referred to similar rulings by Kerala and Allahabad high courts where guardianship was granted in comparable situations.The court noted that Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system, causing muscle weakness and paralysis. Given Dr Kumar's condition, the judge deemed it appropriate to authorise Sandya to operate her husband's accounts.The court appointed Sandya as Dr Kumar's guardian and directed SBI and IOB to permit account operations for treatment expenses and family maintenance. The court granted her the liberty to seek further assistance, if needed, and instructed the banks to facilitate immediate account access without delays.