Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Supreme Court Refuses Relief Over Frozen TMC Accounts
The Supreme Court considered a request from Mamata Banerjee’s TMC faction.
The party wanted to use four bank accounts frozen by the police.
The accounts reportedly contain about Rs 800-804 crore.
The party said the freeze was making it difficult to run its regular activities.
Its lawyer also said the accounts were frozen without enough court supervision.
The government said the freeze was connected to allegations being investigated, including a reported Rs 35 crore deposit.
The Court said it could not decide who should receive the money while the dispute over the TMC’s name and symbol continues.
It did not decide whether the allegations were true.
Instead, it asked the Calcutta High Court to hear the main case quickly.
The Supreme Court dismissed the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction’s plea to operate four debit-frozen Indian Bank accounts.
The accounts reportedly contain around Rs 800-804 crore and were frozen by the West Bengal Police.
The Court said entitlement to the funds could not be decided while the TMC name-and-symbol dispute remains pending.
The faction argued that the freeze paralysed party operations and occurred without proper judicial oversight.
The Court declined to examine the allegations’ merits and asked the Calcutta High Court to expedite the main hearing.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress faction, and the West Bengal government were involved.
- What
- The Supreme Court refused to allow operation of four frozen Indian Bank accounts and asked the Calcutta High Court to expedite the case.
- When
- The ruling was issued on Thursday; the underlying complaint was filed on June 18.
- Where
- The accounts are with Indian Bank, and the related proceedings are before the Calcutta High Court following action by West Bengal Police.
- Why
- The accounts were frozen during a criminal investigation, while the Court said entitlement to the funds was linked to the unresolved TMC name-and-symbol dispute.
TMC Faction’s Position
State and Court’s Position
Effect of the freeze
TMC Faction’s Position
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction said freezing the accounts had paralysed party functioning and hindered political activities.
State and Court’s Position
The State opposed immediate relief while allegations connected with the accounts remained under investigation.
Legality of the account freeze
TMC Faction’s Position
The faction argued that the FIRs contained legal deficiencies and that the accounts were frozen without judicial oversight by a magistrate.
State and Court’s Position
The State defended continued restrictions by referring to the criminal investigation, while the Supreme Court declined to rule on the allegations’ merits.
Entitlement to the funds
TMC Faction’s Position
The faction sought permission to operate the accounts maintained by it and challenged the restrictions on its finances.
State and Court’s Position
The Court said entitlement to the funds could not be determined while the dispute over the TMC’s name and symbol, and the legitimate faction, remained pending.
- Accounts involved
- Four Indian Bank accounts operated by the Mamata Banerjee-led faction
- Reported funds
- Approximately Rs 800-804 crore
- Freezing authority
- West Bengal Police
- Supreme Court decision
- The Court declined to exercise its jurisdiction under Article 136 and refused interim relief
- TMC’s argument
- The freeze had severely affected or paralysed routine party operations
- State’s submission
- The State cited allegations under investigation, including a reported Rs 35 crore deposit linked to a person associated with the faction
- Next step
- The Calcutta High Court was asked to hear the main matter expeditiously
- Reported discrepancy
- The reports describe the Election Commission’s pending dispute variously as involving the party symbol alone or both the party name and symbol
