Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that confidential bank customer data qualifies as property under the law, while deciding bail petitions of two accused in a fake SIM fraud case. The court rejected bail for a bank employee involved in the case but approved bail for a SIM franchise owner.
According to media reports, the ruling stated that a bank employee who misuses authority over customer data can face criminal charges. The court observed that access to customer data in banking is equivalent to access to the financial interests of that customer.
The case involved allegations that the accused leaked confidential bank data to facilitate the issuance of fake SIM cards, which were then used for cyber fraud. The court noted that the specific role of each accused in such cases must be established through evidence.
Following its review of the case, the court rejected the bail application filed by the bank employee, citing the serious nature of the misuse of authority involved. The bail application filed by the SIM franchise owner was, however, approved by the court.
