Bihar: An Indian Bank branch in Muzaffarpur was sealed on Monday after a court ordered the eviction of the bank from a rented building. The action was taken at the Jawaharlal Road branch, located near Tilak Maidan, in the presence of a magistrate and police officials.
The branch has been operating from a two-storey building since 1995, which was rented from Basant Singh. According to reports, the rent agreement for the first floor expired in 2001, while the agreement for the second floor ended in 2005. Despite this, the bank continued to occupy the building for almost 20 years without vacating it.
The landlord said that after receiving a clear court order, the premises were locked on Monday. However, following a written assurance from local residents and the bank manager, the bank has been given 90 days’ time. During this period, the bank has assured that it will pay the pending rent.
According to the bank, the outstanding rent is more than ₹1 crore, though the exact amount is still not confirmed. Basant Singh explained that his father, Niteshwar Singh, had originally rented the property to the bank in 1995, which is why the final rent figure is unclear.
Despite repeated notices and requests over the years, the bank did not vacate the building. As a result, the landlord approached the court. The case remained pending for nearly two decades. After examining all evidence and holding lengthy hearings, the court of Sub-Judge-10 (East) ruled in favour of the landlord and ordered the bank to vacate the premises.
On Monday, the court bailiff, along with a magistrate and police force, reached the branch to enforce the order. An official announcement was made before the sealing process began. As news spread, a large crowd gathered at the spot.
Landlord Basant Singh said that they came to vacate the premises strictly as per the court order, but the bank management requested additional time to shift operations.
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