Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to use funds from its three bank accounts that were frozen by the West Bengal Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), permitting the party to meet day-to-day operational expenses under judicial supervision.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya directed that the party may operate the accounts until **September 30** under the supervision of a special officer, retired High Court judge Justice Subrata Talukdar.
The court clarified that the funds may be used only for the party's routine administrative expenses and legal costs.
The three bank accounts were first frozen by the Kolkata Police on June 19, a day after rebel TMC MLA Biswanath Das filed a complaint alleging misuse of party funds. The development came amid growing internal factionalism within the TMC following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections in May.
On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate also froze the three accounts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The accounts reportedly contain deposits worth Rs 440 crore.
The TMC has termed the ED's action "politically motivated."
During Thursday's hearing, the High Court observed that, at the interim stage, it could not find sufficient material to justify the "abrupt" freezing of the bank accounts within a day of the first information report (FIR) being registered.
The court questioned the speed with which the police acted on the complaint, noting that the accounts were frozen almost immediately after the FIR was filed.
"When a poor citizen comes to a police station, the police is not activated. But when a complaint is lodged at 6 p.m. regarding three bank accounts, the freeze takes place the very next day," the court remarked.
The High Court also noted that Das' complaint did not point to any specific transaction or incident indicating financial irregularities.
Taking strong exception to the conduct of the rebel MLA, the court observed that Das had prima facie acted opportunistically by raising the allegations only after the Assembly elections.
Questioning the timing of the complaint, the court remarked that there was no explanation as to why the issue had not been raised before May 4, when the Assembly election results were declared.
Calling the move "sheer opportunism," the court indicated that the circumstances surrounding the complaint warranted closer scrutiny while allowing the party temporary access to its frozen funds under judicial oversight.