Trinamool rejects ED’s allegations of dubious transactions from three party bank accounts
Kolkata, July 8 (IANS) Hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday issued a statement alleging dubious transactions through three bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress, on which debit restrictions have already been imposed, the former ruling party in West Bengal issued a statement rejecting the allegations made by the central agency.
The Trinamool Congress also described the ED’s action relating to the freezing of its three bank accounts, with total deposits of Rs 440 crore, as politically motivated.
In its statement issued on Wednesday evening, the party claimed that all funds held in its bank accounts had been fully and transparently disclosed.
“All funds held in the party’s bank accounts have been fully and transparently disclosed. The party has duly reported all donation transactions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Income Tax Department. These disclosures are published annually on the ECI’s website and are available in the public domain,” the Trinamool Congress statement said.
The party also claimed that details relating to electoral bonds were already available with the Government of India since the bonds were issued by the State Bank of India (SBI) and subsequently submitted before the Supreme Court.
Referring to the freezing of the three bank accounts, the Trinamool Congress termed the action arbitrary and illegal.
“The misuse of investigative agencies to target political opponents has become a hallmark of the BJP’s politics and represents a serious assault on democratic institutions and the principles of a level playing field,” the party said in its statement.
The debit restrictions on the three bank accounts were imposed by the bank authorities following instructions from the West Bengal Police after two parallel developments.
The first was a letter from the party’s former treasurer and former West Bengal Sports and Power Minister Aroop Biswas to the bank seeking a freeze on the accounts over apprehensions that the funds could be misused.
Subsequently, MLAs belonging to the “rebel but majority” faction of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party, led by expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee, approached the West Bengal Police with a similar request. They also alleged that the accounts could contain proceeds of corruption and extortion.
Taking note of the allegations and complaints, the police directed the bank to impose debit restrictions on the accounts.
The “original but minority” faction of the party, led by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, challenged the move before the Calcutta High Court. However, the court declined to grant interim relief and did not lift the restrictions.
Thereafter, the ED initiated its own investigation into the matter, taking cognisance of allegations that proceeds of corruption and extortion might have been routed through the accounts, thereby bringing the matter within the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
On Tuesday, ED officials conducted raids and searches at five locations in Kolkata in connection with the agency’s investigation into the matter.
–IANS
src/pgh
