Calcutta High Court allows Trinamool to operate frozen accounts under judicial watch
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday (July 9, 2026) permitted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to operate three bank accounts, holding deposits worth ₹440 crore, which
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday (July 9, 2026) permitted the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to operate three bank accounts, holding deposits worth ₹440 crore, which had been frozen following a police complaint alleging fund diversion. Justice Sougata Bhattacharya appointed retired judge Justice Subrata Talukdar as special officer to supervise the accounts till September 30. The accounts may be used only for day-to-day running expenses of the party and for legal expenses.
The court said no other expenditure, major or minor, would be permitted by the special officer. Justice Bhattacharyya permitted any two authorised signatories of the three bank accounts to present a cheque before the special officer, which will thereafter be presented before the bank authority for encashment. The High Court had directed the special officer to file a report disclosing the statement of expenditure incurred during the period on the next date of hearing.
The Court permitted transactions to meet legal expenditure of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the honorarium of ₹1.25 lakh per month of the special officer from the three bank accounts till September 30. Leaders of the Trinamool Congress faction led by Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, had lodged the police complaint that led to the freezing of debit transactions from the three accounts. After the Calcutta High Court order, Ritabrata Banerjee said he will challenge the order before the Supreme Court.
Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented the faction led by Mamata Banerjee said the complainants are part of a faction of the party formed after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results on May 4, 2026, with the ‘oblique motive’ of crippling a political party.
The BriefWire