TMC had earlier moved the Calcutta High Court against the ED’s decision to freeze ₹440 crore in its accounts in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED case relates to the alleged transfer of funds to Carewell Aviation India and its related entity between April 2023 to June 2026 in connection with alleged purchase of an aircraft and a helicopter.
The High Court on July 20 declined to grant the party any interim relief. It noted that the ED had not ordered a debit freeze on 36 other accounts of the party, which have an amount of ₹164 crores in them.
“This Court did not find any prima facie case and balance of convenience and inconvenience in favour of the petitioners. In view of the above, interim order as prayed for by the petitioners, is refused,” the High Court said.
Therefore, it declined to grant the TMC any interim relief, sought the ED’s response to the party’s plea and listed the matter for hearing on August 26.
Earlier, another Bench of the High Court had granted interim relief to TMC after three TMC bank accounts were frozen on the directions of the West Bengal Police over rebel TMC MLA Biswanath Das’s complaint alleging fund misuse.
It appointed a special officer to facilitate the operation of the three TMC bank accounts that were frozen at the direction of the police. By a July 9 order, retired High Court Justice Subrata Talukdar was appointed the special officer till September 30.
The TMC later claimed that the ED moved to freeze the party’s accounts after it apprehended that the party would get interim relief from the High Court in the police case.
