Kolkata, July 31 -- The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has approached the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order declining interim relief over the Enforcement Directorate's decision to freeze three of its HDFC Bank accounts in connection with a money laundering probe.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale is expected to hear the party's special leave petition on August 3.
The ED investigation stems from allegations that Rs 133.84 crore was transferred from one of the party's bank accounts to Carewell Aviation India Pvt. Ltd. as part of an alleged fund diversion scheme. The agency initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on June 23.
The probe followed an FIR lodged by the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police on June 18 on the basis of a complaint filed by BJP MLA Biswanath Das. The FIR invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
During searches conducted in the investigation, the ED froze six bank accounts on July 7, including three belonging to the TMC.
Before the High Court, the party argued that the freezing order lacked legal basis and that no proceeds of crime had been identified. It also cited an earlier order permitting operation of the accounts through a Special Officer to meet routine organisational expenses.
Rejecting the plea for interim relief, the High Court observed that the challenge to the freezing order could be examined after affidavits are exchanged and that the party could also pursue its remedies before the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.