‘We are moving to SC’: Rebel MLA Ritabrata Banerjee after Calcutta HC allows TMC to operate frozen bank accounts
NEW DELHI: Rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Ritabrata Banerjee on Thursday said his faction will approach the Supreme Court by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) after the Calcutta high court allowed the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC to temporarily operate three of its frozen bank accounts under the supervision of a special officer.The Calcutta high court earlier permitted the TMC to use the accounts only for routine party expenses and legal costs until September 30, 2026. The accounts had been frozen as part of a money laundering probe linked to alleged financial irregularities involving party funds.Speaking to reporters, Banerjee said his faction had already consulted lawyers and would challenge the high court’s interim order in the Supreme Court.”We are going to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP). We have consulted with lawyers and are moving the Supreme Court. When the case was originally filed in the Kolkata high court, the ED was not involved. But now that we are filing an SLP in the Supreme Court, the ED will become a party to the proceedings,” he said. Ritabrata also repeated allegations of financial irregularities in the purchase of an aircraft and a helicopter, claiming party funds had been used to buy the assets before they were rented back to the TMC. “Congratulations to this ‘new Natwarlal.’ The original Natwarlal sold the Taj Mahal; here, a company purchased assets using the party’s funds—paying Rs 160 crore from the party’s coffers—and then the party paid rent to that same company. It certainly looks like a method to launder black money,” he said.He further alleged that money had been moved abroad and said his faction would seek an investigation by central agencies.”We are hearing reports that funds have been moved from Kolkata to the Cayman Islands, so we will urge the central agencies to intervene. This is a very serious matter. On the ground, there are no funds to fight legal cases for party workers, yet this ‘new Natwarlal’ is spending Rs 160 crore to acquire aircraft and then paying rent to the very entity involved in the purchase. The money for the purchase comes from the party’s account, and the rental payments also come from the party’s account. This is clearly a case of money laundering,” Banerjee alleged.He added that he would travel to Delhi to submit a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).”Yes, I will go to Delhi. It is not just this issue; there are two or three other matters as well. I will write to the ED stating that this matter needs to be investigated,” he said.The controversy relates to three TMC bank accounts that were frozen after a complaint by Ritabrata’s rival faction. The ED has alleged that around Rs 160 crore of party funds were laundered through Kolkata-based Carewell Aviation to purchase an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta helicopter, which were later rented back to the TMC. The agency has also alleged that a $1.7 million unsecured loan from a Cayman Islands entity was used to help finance the helicopter purchase.While allowing limited access to the accounts, the Calcutta high court appointed retired judge Justice Subrata Talukdar as a special officer to supervise all withdrawals. The matter will next be heard on September 21, when the investigating agencies are expected to submit a progress report. The TMC has denied all allegations, describing the probe as politically motivated and maintaining that its finances have been fully disclosed to the Election Commission and the Income Tax Department.
