Fresh blow to TMC: Rs 440 crore in party accounts frozen; know why

Three bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress holding around Rs 440 crore have been placed under a debit freeze following complaints by rebel party MLAs seeking an investigation into the source of the funds, escalating an already bitter internal battle over control of the party’s finances.

A senior police officer told PTI that the accounts, maintained with a private sector bank, had been frozen for debit operations. While withdrawals and outward transactions have been blocked, credits may continue to be received.

The move comes amid an intensifying power struggle within the TMC between camps led by former minister Aroop Biswas and Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee following the party’s defeat in the recent Assembly elections.

Don’t Miss: TMC CRISIS: Kalyan Rebels! Mamata Faces Ultimate Choice- Nephew Abhishek Or Loyalists?

Rebel MLAs seek criminal probe

The action followed complaints filed by 10 MLAs aligned with Banerjee before the cybercrime police station under the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.

The legislators sought registration of an FIR and a detailed probe into the accounts, questioning the source of the money deposited in them and the transactions conducted through them.

According to a copy of one complaint, the MLAs asked investigators to determine whether the funds originated from lawful sources or from alleged illegal activities, including suspected cut-money collections, diversion of public funds and proceeds of scams.

“It has come to my knowledge through reliable circumstances and surrounding developments that certain funds, arising out of illegal activities, including misuse of influence, dishonest financial dealings and suspected unlawful collection of money, may have been routed and subsequently deposited into bank accounts,” the complaint stated.

Must Read: ‘For Lord Shiva’s sake, don’t have anything to do with Sayani Ghosh’: Bengal BJP veteran urges Modi, Shah

Internal battle spills into party finances

The freezing of the accounts marks the latest flashpoint in the conflict over control of the TMC’s organisational and financial apparatus.

A senior MLA loyal to Mamata Banerjee said the faction was aware of the police action but was awaiting formal communication.

“We have heard that the three accounts have been frozen. We will know the exact details by this evening,” the MLA told PTI.

The development comes days after Biswas wrote to the bank seeking protection of the accounts and suspension of transactions, arguing that party deposits estimated at more than Rs 500 crore should not be operated until the leadership dispute within the organisation is resolved.

While Biswas had sought a freeze over concerns regarding management and control of the accounts, the rebel legislators have now pushed for a criminal investigation into the origin of the funds themselves.

Treasurer row deepens

The complaints were filed before the same cyber crime police station that is investigating an FIR against Biswas over the controversy surrounding Argentine football icon Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata.

As the dispute widened, Mamata loyalist MLA Kunal Ghosh challenged Biswas’s authority to speak on the party’s finances, saying he no longer holds the post of treasurer.

“To remove any confusion, it must be stated clearly that Aroop Biswas was once the party treasurer. However, at the executive committee meeting held on June 5, it was unanimously decided that Subhasish Chakraborty would be the treasurer. Since then, he has been discharging that responsibility,” Ghosh said.

With the three accounts now under a debit freeze, the battle over control of the TMC’s finances has moved beyond an internal leadership dispute into a confrontation involving police complaints, rival claims over authority and questions surrounding the source of hundreds of crores of rupees held in party accounts.