Calcutta HC orders bank affidavit on TMC's frozen ₹440 crore accounts
Synopsis
A factional war inside Trinamool Congress has spilled into the Calcutta High Court, with ₹440 crore in party funds locked in three frozen bank accounts. The bench refused to lift the freeze immediately — leaving the Mamata-Abhishek faction without access to its own party treasury while a rebel group that triggered the freeze awaits the court's next move.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court on 2 July directed a private bank to file an affidavit on three frozen TMC accounts by 7 July .
Kolkata Police also ordered to submit a progress report on the investigation by 7 July .
The court refused to lift debit restrictions , leaving ₹440 crore inaccessible until further orders.
The freeze was initiated after former treasurer Aroop Biswas and TMC MLAs from the rebel faction wrote to the bank and police citing fund misappropriation fears.
The petition was filed by the faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee , opposing the freeze.
A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday, 2 July directed a private bank to file a detailed affidavit disclosing all information related to three Trinamool Congress (TMC) bank accounts that have been placed under debit restrictions, following a petition by the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the party. The court simultaneously ordered Kolkata Police to submit a progress report on the investigation by 7 July.
What the Court Ordered
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya, presiding over the single-judge bench, declined to grant the relief sought by the Trinamool Congress — namely, the immediate withdrawal of debit restrictions on the three accounts. This means all debit transactions from the accounts will remain frozen until further orders from the court.
The bench set a deadline of 7 July for both the bank and the police to file their respective submissions. The bank has been asked to provide a comprehensive account of the details linked to the three frozen accounts, while the police must explain the basis and progress of the investigation that led to the freeze.
How the Accounts Were Frozen
The freeze was triggered by two developments earlier in July 2025. Aroop Biswas, the former party treasurer and ex-Minister who now belongs to the 'rebel but majority faction' led by expelled leader Ritabrata Banerjee, wrote to the bank requesting the freeze, citing apprehension of fund misappropriation.
Subsequently, a group of Trinamool Congress MLAs from the same rebel faction approached Kolkata Police with an identical request. Acting on these representations, the police directed the bank to impose debit restrictions on the three accounts, which reportedly hold ₹440 crore in deposits.
The Intra-Party Split Behind the Dispute
The account freeze lays bare a deepening factional rift within the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). On one side stands the faction loyal to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee — the party's general secretary and a Lok Sabha member — who have approached the court to unfreeze the accounts. On the other stands the 'rebel but majority faction' that reportedly controls a larger share of elected representatives and has sought the freeze to prevent what it describes as potential misuse of party funds.
Notably, this is not a routine legal dispute between a party and a regulator — it is an intra-party financial battle being adjudicated in open court, a rare and significant development for one of India's most powerful regional parties.
What Happens Next
The matter is next scheduled to be heard after 7 July, once the bank's affidavit and the police's progress report are on record. Until then, the ₹440 crore in the three accounts remains inaccessible for debit transactions. The court's eventual ruling could have significant implications for which faction exercises financial control over the party's resources.
Point of View
At least temporarily, succeeded in locking the ruling establishment out of its own funds. What is striking is the mechanism: a police-directed bank freeze on the instruction of a rebel faction, not a court order or regulatory action. That raises questions about whether law enforcement was used as an instrument in an intra-party power struggle — a pattern that critics of the TMC government in West Bengal have long alleged. The court's demand for a police progress report suggests Justice Bhattacharya is probing exactly that chain of command.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the Trinamool Congress bank accounts frozen?
The three TMC bank accounts were frozen after former party treasurer Aroop Biswas and a group of TMC MLAs from the 'rebel but majority faction' wrote to the bank and Kolkata Police, citing concerns about potential fund misappropriation. The police then directed the bank to impose debit restrictions on accounts reportedly holding ₹440 crore.
What did the Calcutta High Court order on 2 July?
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya's bench directed the private bank to file a detailed affidavit on the three frozen accounts and ordered Kolkata Police to submit a progress report on the investigation — both by 7 July. The court declined to lift the debit freeze in the interim.
Who filed the petition in the Calcutta High Court?
The petition was filed by the Trinamool Congress faction loyal to former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, challenging the bank's decision to freeze the three accounts.
How much money is reportedly held in the frozen accounts?
The three frozen TMC bank accounts reportedly hold ₹440 crore in deposits, according to reports. The funds remain inaccessible for debit transactions until the court passes further orders.
What is the 'rebel but majority faction' in TMC?
It refers to a group within the All India Trinamool Congress that has broken ranks with the Mamata Banerjee-Abhishek Banerjee leadership and is led by expelled party leader Ritabrata Banerjee. The faction claims to represent a majority of the party's elected representatives and has sought the account freeze to prevent what it alleges could be misuse of party funds.
