3 weeks ago
Supreme Court Refuses to Interfere in Trinamool Frozen Accounts Case
A court in India made a decision about bank accounts belonging to the Trinamool Congress, a big political party led by Mamata Banerjee.
An investigating agency called the Enforcement Directorate, or ED, stopped the party from spending money from three of its bank accounts.
The agency is checking whether the party handled money in a way that the law does not allow.
The frozen accounts held about 440 crore rupees, which is an enormous amount of money.
The party told the Supreme Court it could not even pay its workers' salaries because of the freeze.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court set up an arrangement letting the party use some money for everyday needs under the watch of a retired judge.
The party asked the Supreme Court to let it use even more money, but the Supreme Court said the existing arrangement was fair and balanced.
Investigators believe some money moved to a company called Carewell Aviation, and part of it may have been used to buy a private jet and a helicopter.
The main case is still pending before the High Court, so the fight over the money is not over yet.
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order denying interim relief to the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) over three bank accounts frozen by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED froze three HDFC Bank accounts holding balances totalling Rs 440.42 crore in a money-laundering probe stemming from a West Bengal Police FIR.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale called the High Court's order 'balanced' and noted the main writ petitions remain pending there.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal said the party could not pay salaries, while Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said three unencumbered accounts with about Rs 125 crore were available.
The ED's preliminary investigation found about Rs 160 crore was transferred to Carewell Aviation India Private Limited, with Rs 112 crore allegedly used to buy a business jet and a helicopter.
- Who
- A Supreme Court bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and rebel TMC MLA Biswanath Das.
- What
- The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Calcutta High Court's supervised arrangement for three ED-frozen TMC bank accounts and disposed of pleas by the party and Biswanath Das.
- Where
- The Supreme Court in New Delhi; the FIR was lodged with the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police in West Bengal and the matter had been heard by the Calcutta High Court.
- When
- Tuesday, August 11, 2026; the High Court's July 9 arrangement and July 20 order refusing further relief were under challenge.
- Why
- The ED froze the accounts in a money-laundering probe over alleged dishonest financial transactions, unlawful collection of money, and routing of suspected funds through certain TMC accounts.
TMC (Banerjee-led faction)
Enforcement Directorate & Rebel Faction
Scope of account freezes
TMC (Banerjee-led faction)
Freezing more than the alleged proceeds of crime and freezing recipient accounts is unfair; the party cannot pay salaries or its service providers.
Enforcement Directorate & Rebel Faction
The Calcutta High Court already allows day-to-day operation of accounts under a court-appointed Special Officer, and unencumbered accounts, including ones with Indian Bank holding about Rs 125 crore, remain available.
Use of transferred funds
TMC (Banerjee-led faction)
The freezing was arbitrary and mechanical, with no identifiable proceeds of crime; funds beyond the alleged crime amount should not be blocked.
Enforcement Directorate & Rebel Faction
The ED's preliminary investigation alleges about Rs 160 crore was transferred to Carewell Aviation India Private Limited and related entities, of which Rs 112 crore was used to buy a business jet and a helicopter.
Factional control of the party
TMC (Banerjee-led faction)
The Banerjee-led faction should be able to operate the accounts so the party can continue its daily functioning and pay salaries.
Enforcement Directorate & Rebel Faction
Only one faction should not control the accounts while the Election Commission decides who the real TMC is; one account allegedly received Rs 360 crore within 20 days after the election was lost.
Key facts
- Frozen accounts
- Three HDFC Bank accounts with balances totalling Rs 440.42 crore
- Investigating agency
- Enforcement Directorate (ED); ECIR registered June 23, 2026
- Probe origin
- Complaint by rebel TMC MLA Biswanath Das; FIR by Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police on June 18, 2026
- Supreme Court bench
- Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale
- Special Officer
- Retired Calcutta High Court Justice Subrata Talukdar; arrangement runs until September 30
- Alleged proceeds of crime
- Figures of Rs 60 crore and Rs 160 crore cited in court submissions
- Transfers to Carewell Aviation
- Around Rs 160 crore between April 2023 and June 2026
- Alleged purchases
- Embraer Legacy 600 business jet and AgustaWestland 109SP helicopter for Rs 112 crore
Quotes
Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale
Supreme Court bench
“Upon perusing the records, including the impugned order, we are satisfied that the high court has passed a balanced order. The main writ petitions are pending consideration before the high court. Any discussions on merit will have a bearing on the pending writ petitions. As we are satisfied that the interim orders passed take care of the parties, we are not inclined to interfere in both the matters,”
theprint.in
“We are saying we are the Trinamool Congress. If we are the TMC then there is no question of allowing only one faction of the TMC to operate the bank account through the interim arrangement that the High Court has made.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
SC declines to interfere with Calcutta HC order denying TMC access to bank accounts frozen by ED
Supreme Court refuses to interfere with Calcutta High Court order on Trinamool Congress's frozen bank accounts - Telegraph India
SC refuses to interfere with HC order denying interim relief to TMC against ED freezing accounts
Supreme Court Declines To Interfere With Calcutta HC’s TMC Bank Accounts Freeze Arrangement In ED Probe
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