Mamata Banerjee's TMC Faces Setback As 12 More Bank Accounts Frozen Despite Calcutta HC Relief; Rs 1,000 Cr Under Probe

In a major setback for Mamata Banerjee’s TMC, the Bidhannagar Cyber Police Station has ordered the freezing of 12 more bank accounts of the party, held across several government and private banks. The order comes a day after the party received major relief from the Calcutta High Court in the case involving frozen bank accounts.

According to police sources, a total amount of more than Rs 1,000 crore is deposited across the accounts frozen in both phases. The action was taken based on an investigation into an FIR filed by rebel Trinamool MLA Vishwanath Das.

Earlier, police had frozen three bank accounts in connection with the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) later froze the same three accounts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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The Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress had approached the Calcutta High Court against the action. On Thursday, the court directed the appointment of a special officer to manage the party’s day-to-day expenses.

During the investigation, the Bidhannagar Cyber Police Station recorded statements from more than seven MLAs from the Ritabrata Banerjee camp, including the complainant MLA. Police are investigating the basis of their allegations regarding suspected illegal transactions in the party’s accounts.

Based on clues found during the investigation of the initial three accounts, other accounts are now being examined. As a result, transactions from these accounts have been temporarily frozen.

Preparations To Question Three Leaders

Meanwhile, two MPs are authorised signatories on one of the three accounts frozen by the ED. According to sources in the investigating agency, the authorised signatories on the other two accounts are a former MP and a former minister. These three leaders may soon be summoned for questioning in connection with the probe.

Trinamool Approaches High Court Again

The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has once again approached the Calcutta High Court against the ED’s order freezing the party’s bank accounts.

On Friday, advocate Kishore Dutta, representing the party, mentioned the matter before Justice Krishna Rao and sought an urgent hearing. The court allowed the party to file a petition.

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The case is expected to be heard on Monday. The party informed the court that another bench had already granted interim relief regarding the three bank accounts frozen by the state police. However, the ED has now also frozen the same accounts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, further increasing the party’s legal challenges.

On Thursday, a bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya appointed a special officer to operate the three accounts in connection with the state police action.

The court directed that withdrawals from the bank accounts could only be made after the special officer countersigned cheques signed by any two authorised signatories.

Recently, after conducting raids at five locations in and around Kolkata, the ED claimed it found three Trinamool Congress accounts in a private bank containing deposits of Rs 440.42 crore. The agency froze these accounts under Section 17(1A) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.