Supreme Court TMC Ruling
Supreme Court declines to unfreeze TMC bank accounts and urges quick resolution.
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Key Points
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The Supreme Court said it would not exercise its jurisdiction under Article 136 to decide the merits, and asked the Calcutta High Court to expedite the pending hearing.
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The Calcutta High Court had allowed the party to use the accounts for day-to-day expenses, while rejecting its request to unfreeze them; the TMC faction said it needed additional funds to prepare for by-elections.
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The TMC faction argued that the Enforcement Directorate had given the three Indian Bank accounts a clean chit in a separate proceeding and that the FIR did not link transactions in those accounts to the alleged offence.
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Separately, the Enforcement Directorate had frozen ₹440 crore in three TMC HDFC Bank accounts while investigating alleged laundering of ₹160 crore through Carewell Aviation. The agency said party funds were used to purchase an Embraer aircraft and an Agusta helicopter, which were later leased to the party.
The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to unfreeze ₹800 crore in Trinamool Congress bank accounts frozen by West Bengal Police, sending the dispute back to the Calcutta High Court Telegraph India. The court refused to decide the merits itself, citing an unresolved factional battle between TMC wings over the party's name and election symbol Swarajya.
Mamata Banerjee's faction argued the police had not justified the freeze and the party needed funds for political activities Times of India. West Bengal countered that ₹34–35 crore allegedly tied to illegal land sales had been deposited into party accounts, triggering the freeze ANI News.
Supreme Court Punts Decision to Lower Court
The Supreme Court said it would not use its authority under Article 136 to rule on the frozen accounts Telegraph India. Instead, it ordered the Calcutta High Court to decide quickly. The bench noted the freeze was tied to a separate legal war between TMC factions over control of the party's symbol and name Swarajya.
The Calcutta High Court had already allowed the party to access funds for day-to-day expenses but rejected a full unfreeze Times of India. TMC leaders said they needed more money to prepare for upcoming by-elections Times of India.
Why Police Froze the Accounts in First Place
West Bengal Police froze the four Indian Bank accounts after a complaint alleging ₹34–35 crore from illegal land sales was deposited into a party account ANI News. The state argued this justified the freeze as part of a cybercrime investigation ANI News.
The Mamata faction countered that the Enforcement Directorate had already cleared these three Indian Bank accounts in a separate proceeding Times of India. They also said the police complaint did not link transactions in those accounts to any crime Times of India.
Separate ₹440 Crore Freeze by Enforcement Directorate
Beyond the police freeze, the Enforcement Directorate separately froze ₹440 crore in three HDFC Bank accounts operated by TMC while investigating alleged money laundering of ₹160 crore Telegraph India. The ED claims party funds were used to buy an Embraer aircraft and an Agusta helicopter, which were later leased back to the party Telegraph India.
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