SC Refuses to Unfreeze TMC’s Four Bank Accounts

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction seeking permission to operate four debit-frozen bank accounts.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale said it was not inclined to interfere with the Calcutta High Court order that had refused the plea. “We refrain from going into the merits,” the bench said. We request the high court to expedite the hearing.”
The four public-sector bank accounts, holding around Rs 804 crore, were debit-frozen by the West Bengal Police following a cybercrime complaint filed by TMC MLA Biswanath Das. The Calcutta High Court had on August 27 refused interim relief, saying it would undermine its earlier order allowing the party to meet day-to-day expenses.
The court noted that the Election Commission has frozen the party symbol, so the larger question of who is entitled to the funds is pending adjudication. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, pointing to an office-bearer who had deposited Rs 34 crore in cash into a party account.
What happens next: the Calcutta High Court will hear the main case on an expedited basis after the judicial recess.
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