A plea from the “rebel but majority” faction in the Trinamool Congress, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, to be included in the case where the “original but minority” faction challenged the freezing of party accounts was rejected by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court. The Enforcement Directorate’s freeze on three bank accounts with Rs 440 crore deposits led to this legal battle.
The bench, presided over by Justice Krishna Rao, declined the plea from the Ritabrata-led faction, stating that the Election Commission of India should address the party name, symbol claims, and fund matters. Debit restrictions were imposed on the accounts by the bank authorities following instructions from the West Bengal Police and the ED.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction, facing complications after the ED’s account freeze, challenged the action in court. Justice Rao questioned the ED’s basis for the parallel investigation, while the ED’s counsel clarified the agency’s authority in such cases. The bench reserved its order at the end of the hearing.
