The Calcutta High Court has declined to grant interim relief to the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) in its challenge to the Enforcement Directorate’s decision to freeze three of the party’s bank accounts.
The Court refused to permit the party to operate the accounts, which were frozen in connection with an ongoing money-laundering investigation concerning alleged financial transactions linked to the purchase of an aircraft and a helicopter.
The Enforcement Directorate’s action relates to alleged transfers of funds to Carewell Aviation India and an associated entity during the period between April 2023 and June 2026. The agency is examining the transactions under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The TMC had approached the High Court seeking interim protection against the freezing of its accounts and permission to access the funds maintained therein. The party’s plea came after the ED issued directions freezing the accounts despite an earlier order of another High Court Bench that had granted the party limited relief in relation to a separate freeze imposed at the instance of the West Bengal Police.
The earlier proceedings arose from a complaint filed by rebel TMC MLA Biswanath Das, who had alleged misuse of party funds. Pursuant to the complaint, the Bidhannagar Police had directed the freezing of the three accounts. The High Court had subsequently granted the TMC relief in those proceedings and permitted limited operations subject to judicial safeguards.
The ED, however, subsequently issued a separate freezing order under the anti-money laundering law, prompting the political party to once again move the High Court.
The TMC challenged the ED’s action and sought permission to operate the accounts during the pendency of the proceedings. The party is understood to have contended that the freezing of its accounts had severely impaired its ability to conduct its organisational and political activities.
The ED opposed the plea, relying on the ongoing investigation into the alleged movement of funds and the statutory powers available to it under the PMLA.
After considering the rival submissions, the High Court declined to grant interim permission to the TMC to operate the accounts. The order leaves the bank accounts frozen pursuant to the ED’s action.
The case brings into focus the extent of the Enforcement Directorate’s power to provisionally freeze assets and bank accounts during a money-laundering investigation, as well as the legal parameters governing judicial intervention at the interlocutory stage of such proceedings.
The matter also marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute over the TMC’s bank accounts, which have been subject to separate freezing actions arising from proceedings initiated by the State Police and the Enforcement Directorate.
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