TMC Moves Calcutta High Court Against Bank Account Freeze; Urgent Hearing Denied

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) approached the Calcutta High Court on Monday to challenge the freezing of its bank accounts. However, the political party's request for an immediate, urgent hearing on the matter was turned down by the court.

This legal move follows the recent seizure of three HDFC Bank accounts holding approximately ₹440 crore, which are allegedly linked to the TMC.

Internal Dissension Triggers Banking Freeze

The financial dispute spilled over into the banking system after former West Bengal Sports Minister Arup Biswas dispatched a letter to the party’s bankers. Identifying himself as the TMC’s treasurer, Biswas requested an instant freeze on all party accounts.

In his letter, Biswas reportedly contended that a breakaway faction within the TMC was trying to seize control of the organization’s financial assets, demanding that all transactions be suspended until the internal conflict is resolved.

Police Action Challenged in Court

The All India Trinamool Congress filed a petition before the Calcutta High Court, specifically contesting the debit freeze imposed on its three bank accounts by the Bidhannagar police. The case is now scheduled for a formal hearing on Thursday, June 25, before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya. Earlier on Monday, Senior Advocate Kishore Datta pressed the court for an expedited hearing on Tuesday, but the bench declined the request.

"This shows the completely baseless, mala fide and motivated nature of the complaint," the TMC's plea argues.

Allegations of Political Vendetta

The TMC is currently navigating severe internal rifts following its loss in the recent State Assembly elections. The police freeze on the party's finances was initiated after a formal complaint was lodged by a rebel TMC MLA, Biswanath Das. The TMC counter-argues that Das’s complaint lacks specific factual details and relies entirely on unfounded allegations of massive financial fraud. Ironically, according to the TMC, Das contested and won his seat from the Jaynagar constituency on a TMC ticket during the recent polls, and was even distributed ₹25 lakh from the exact same bank accounts.

The party's petition highlights that law enforcement agencies rushed into ordering coercive actions against the bank accounts without performing any preliminary investigation into the allegations. This sudden freeze has severely crippled day-to-day party operations.

The legal plea further alleges a systemic crackdown on its leadership by the state machinery under the newly formed government.

“In light of the emerging pattern of persecution of members of the Petitioner, a recognised political party in the State and the principal opposition party in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, by police agencies under the newly elected government, it is abundantly clear that the impugned action is part of a larger pattern of pursuing political vendetta through misuse of State machinery being employed by the ruling party in the State of West Bengal,” the plea states further.

Alongside lifting the account freeze, the TMC has explicitly sought the quashing of the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police, while requesting an immediate stay on the ongoing investigation while the court reviews the petition.

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