The West Bengal Police has imposed a debit freeze on three bank accounts held by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) at a private sector bank branch in central Kolkata, blocking all outgoing transactions following a complaint by rebel party legislators. According to police sources, the accounts collectively held deposits of ₹440 crore — a figure that has triggered demands for a full probe into the origin of the funds.

What the Debit Freeze Means

A debit freeze effectively halts all outward movement of money from the affected accounts. Cash withdrawals, fund transfers, debit card transactions, and automatic bill payments stand suspended. Incoming deposits, however, remain permitted. The freeze was formalised after Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station officials sought account details from the bank and completed the necessary procedural formalities.

How the Action Was Set in Motion

The sequence of events began when former Trinamool Congress treasurer Aroop Biswas — who previously served as West Bengal's minister for sports, youth affairs, and power — wrote to the branch manager requesting that the accounts be frozen. Shortly after, a group of rebel TMC legislators led by expelled party MLA Ritabrata Banerjee filed a formal complaint at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station under Bidhannagar City Police in North 24 Parganas district. The complaint alleged that money earned through corruption and extortion during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government had been deposited into these three accounts.

What Investigators Found

After the complaint was lodged, police officials contacted the bank branch and obtained account details. According to police sources, the bank confirmed that a combined total of ₹440 crore had been deposited across the three accounts. Investigators subsequently decided to impose the debit freeze pending further inquiry into the legitimacy and source of the funds.

Voices From the Rebel Camp and the Loyalist Side

Sandipan Saha, a prominent member of the rebel TMC MLA group, said no outward transactions should be permitted under the present circumstances. 'Let there be an investigation into the legitimacy of the money in these accounts. Let there be an investigation into the source of the money deposited there. We want a thorough investigation into the matter,' Saha said.

TMC legislator Kunal Ghosh, who continues to back former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said he was aware of the development and was keeping a close watch on the situation. He did not elaborate further.

Broader Context

This development comes amid deepening fissures within the Trinamool Congress, with a faction of rebel legislators openly challenging the party's financial arrangements. The freeze on accounts holding ₹440 crore represents one of the more significant financial actions taken against a state ruling party in recent memory, and is likely to intensify scrutiny of TMC's internal finances. How the party responds — and whether a formal investigation is ordered — will determine the political and legal trajectory of this case in the days ahead.