Calcutta HC allows Mamata limited access to TMC bank accounts:Appoints special officer to monitor payments, restricts major spending

The Calcutta High Court has allowed the Mamata Banerjee led faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to carry out limited transactions from three of the party’s frozen bank accounts. However, the funds may only be used for routine administrative expenses and legal costs. Retired High Court judge Justice Subrata Talukdar has been appointed as a special officer to oversee all transactions until 30 September. The order was passed by the single bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya. Under the arrangement, cheques signed by any two authorised signatories must first be presented to the special officer. The bank will process payments only after they are countersigned by him. The special officer will receive an honorarium of ₹1.25 lakh per month, which will also be paid from the party’s frozen bank accounts. Why were the TMC bank accounts frozen? The Trinamool Congress (TMC) bank accounts were frozen following a complaint lodged on 18 June at the Cyber Crime Police Station under the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate. The complaint alleged that three TMC accounts held with a private bank were being used to store the proceeds of crime. After an FIR was registered, debit transactions from the accounts were suspended the following day. The complaint was filed by leaders of a rebel TMC faction, MLA Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, and formed the basis for the decision to freeze the party’s bank accounts. Court also keeping an eye on investigation and Election Commission The court has instructed the bank to keep the electronic records and banking data of all three accounts secure and to fully cooperate with the police investigation. The police will also have to file a progress report of the investigation at the next hearing on September 21. The court also stated that the matter of which faction of TMC will receive official recognition is pending with the Election Commission. If the commission makes any decision in the interim, it will be presented before the court, so that further decisions can be made on this interim order. Court Room Live Mamata Faction’s Lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi: The complaining leaders are part of the rebel faction formed after the West Bengal Assembly election results on May 4, 2026. This complaint was made with the intention of weakening the party. There was a five percent difference between the vote shares of TMC and BJP in the election. The complainants themselves have contested elections as TMC candidates with the help of funds received from these very bank accounts. Permission should be granted to operate the accounts. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Police: After receiving the complaint, it was necessary for the investigating agency to act immediately to prevent any alleged illegal transactions from these accounts. The other faction of TMC also seeks recognition for the party, and the final decision on this rests with the Election Commission. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya: Why did everything happen so quickly? When a poor citizen goes to a police station, the police are not so active. But here, a complaint was filed at 6 PM, and the accounts were frozen the very next day. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta: The police were acting to protect people’s money and property. If the accounts are de-frozen, a dispute could arise between the two factions of TMC over operating them. ED also froze ₹440 crore The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also frozen approximately 440 crore rupees deposited in three bank accounts of the party in a money laundering case. The investigation is said to be related to alleged financial irregularities in renting chartered planes and private jets. ​