The Calcutta High Court refused to fast-track a plea filed by the Trinamool Congress faction loyal to Mamata Banerjee over three frozen bank accounts. A single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya heard the request. The bench declined to advance the hearing. It ruled that the matter would instead move in its normal order on the daily cause list.
Three Accounts Holding Rs 440 Crore Stay Frozen
The dispute centres on three accounts held at a private commercial bank. Earlier this month, the bank froze all three after receiving a directive from the police. The accounts together hold Rs 440 crore. That sum now stays locked until the court takes up the petition in its scheduled turn.
Why the Police Ordered the Freeze
Two separate moves prompted the police action. The first came from Aroop Biswas, the party’s former treasurer and a one-time minister. Biswas now sits with what is being called the “rebel but majority faction” of the Trinamool Congress, a group led by the expelled Ritabrata Banerjee. He wrote to the bank and asked officials to freeze the accounts. His letter cited fears that the funds could be misused.
A second push followed soon after. Several Trinamool MLAs from the same rebel group approached the police with an identical demand. The police then instructed the bank to block the three accounts.
Mamata’s Group Moves Court for Relief
The faction that remains aligned with Mamata Banerjee challenged the freeze in court. This group also stays loyal to her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, who serves as the party’s general secretary and sits in the Lok Sabha. Mamata Banerjee is the former Chief Minister of West Bengal.
This faction took the matter to the bench of Justice Bhattacharya. It asked the court to overturn the freeze. It also sought an early hearing. The bench accepted neither plea for urgency on Tuesday.
Hearing Now Set for July 2
The West Bengal government was represented by Tushar Mehta, the Solicitor General of India. He told the bench he had received the case documents only on Monday. He said he would be ready to argue the matter on July 2. The Mamata-led group gets no immediate relief until then.
What High Court’s refusal to fast-track means for Mamata
The decision means the Mamata-led group gets no immediate relief. The Rs 440 crore stays locked until the court takes up the petition in its scheduled turn. The next significant date in the case is July 2, when the government’s counsel is expected to be ready.
