Calcutta High Court Declines Urgent Hearing To Trinamool Congress In Plea Challenging Freezing Of Bank Accounts

The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court, challenging the freezing of three of its bank accounts, alleging that debit operations had been stopped pursuant to police directions.

The matter was mentioned before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya by Senior Advocate Kishore Datta, who sought an urgent hearing. The court however, directed the Senior Advocate to serve notice on all parties and file the plea in regular course.

Datta submitted that the party had received an intimation from its bank on June 19 informing it that three of its accounts had been frozen.

"On 19th we received an intimation from the bank that three of our accounts had been frozen. Debit operation has been stopped," Datta told the Court.

Questioning the role of the police in the matter, the Bench asked: "What will the police do?"

In response, Datta argued that the action was based on an unspecific complaint and that the accounts had been frozen at the instance of the police.

"It's a very vague complaint. We'll show Your Lordship. If you can kindly hear us today," the senior counsel submitted.

The Court again sought clarification, observing: "No, regarding closure of account, what will the police do?"

Datta replied: "Under the direction [of] the police it was closed."

Requesting that the matter be taken up at the earliest, Datta submitted that three bank accounts had already been frozen and urged the Court to list the case at least on Tuesday.