Days after police complaints were filed by Trinamool Congress rebel leaders seeking an investigation into the party's funding sources, a private bank has frozen debt operations of three accounts linked to the outfit.
According to police, the three accounts, holding around Rs 440 crore, were placed under "debit freeze", preventing withdrawals or outward transactions, though credits may continue to be received.
The development comes amid an intensifying power struggle within the TMC between camps led by former minister Aroop Biswas and Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee over control of the party's organisational and financial apparatus following its defeat in the recent assembly elections.
The freeze follows complaints by 10 MLAs aligned with Banerjee to the cybercrime police station under the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, seeking registration of an FIR and a detailed investigation into the accounts.
In their complaints, the legislators questioned the source of funds deposited in the accounts and sought an inquiry into transactions carried out through them.
According to a copy of one of the complaints, the MLAs urged investigators to ascertain whether the funds originated from lawful sources or from alleged unlawful activities, including suspected cut-money collections, diversion of public funds and proceeds of scams.
"It has come to my knowledge through reliable circumstances and surrounding developments that certain funds, arising out of illegal activities, including misuse of influence, dishonest financial dealings and suspected unlawful collection of money, may have been routed and subsequently deposited into bank accounts," the complaint stated.
A senior MLA loyal to Mamata Banerjee said the faction had learnt about the police action but was awaiting formal communication.
"We have heard that the three accounts have been frozen. We will know the exact details by this evening," the MLA told PTI.
The latest move comes days after senior TMC leader Aroop Biswas wrote to the bank seeking protection of the accounts and suspension of transactions, claiming the party's deposits, estimated at over Rs 500 crore, should not be operated until the leadership dispute within the organisation is resolved.
While Biswas had sought freezing of the accounts citing concerns over their management and control, the rebel legislators have now sought a criminal investigation into the source of the funds themselves, taking the dispute into a more serious legal territory.
Political observers noted that the complaints were filed before the same cyber crime police station that is investigating an FIR against Biswas in connection with the fiasco during Argentine football icon Lionel Messi's visit to Kolkata.
Mamata loyalist MLA Kunal Ghosh said Biswas no longer holds the post of treasurer and therefore has no authority to speak on behalf of the party on financial matters.
"To remove any confusion, it must be stated clearly that Aroop Biswas was once the party treasurer.
However, at the executive committee meeting held on June 5, it was unanimously decided that Subhasish Chakraborty would be the treasurer.
Since then, he has been discharging that responsibility," Ghosh said.
(With inputs from PTI)
