Calcutta HC refuses to stay ED-imposed freeze on three bank accounts of Trinamool

Kolkata: A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Monday, refused an interim stay on the decision of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to freeze three bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress with combined deposits of Rs 440 crore.

Following the refusal of the single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao to entertain the plea of the former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata-Banerjee-led faction for an interim stay on the ED-imposed freeze on these bank accounts, “debit restrictions” will continue till further orders.

The ‘debit restrictions’ on these three accounts were first imposed by the bank authorities following the instructions from the police. Earlier this month, another single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya allowed a “partial and temporary withdrawal” of the debit restrictions following the instructions imposed by the state police.

However, in the meantime, ED also enforced debit restrictions on these three bank accounts because of allegedly suspicious transactions amounting to Rs 164 crore. Thereafter, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction again approached the bench of Justice Rao with a petition seeking a stay on the ED-imposed freeze.

The matter came up for hearing at Justice Rao’s bench on Monday morning, and after a detailed hearing, Justice Rao refused to grant an interim stay on the ED-imposed freeze.

Justice Rao’s bench observed that the court, at this point, will not interfere with the ED’s decision. That is, the three accounts of Trinamool will remain “frozen”, and hence the debit restrictions will continue.

Last week, ED gave a letter to the authorities of the private sector commercial bank concerned, where one of the three accounts is held, seeking details of “doubtful” transactions valued at Rs 164 crore.

Meanwhile, debit restrictions had also been imposed on 12 other bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress with combined reports of over Rs 550 crore following instructions from the state police.

The series of debit restrictions on different instructions imposed on different bank accounts held by the Trinamool Congress started last month following instructions from the police after two parallel developments.

The first was a letter from the party’s former treasurer and former West Bengal Sports and Power Minister Aroop Biswas to the bank authorities seeking a freeze on the three bank accounts over apprehensions that the funds could be misused.

Subsequently, MLAs belonging to the rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party, led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, approached the police with a similar request. They also alleged that the accounts could contain proceeds of corruption and extortion.

Taking note of the allegations and complaints, the state police first directed the bank to impose debit restrictions on the accounts. Later, ED also directed the bank authorities to impose debit restrictions on these three bank accounts.

–IANS