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The TMC condemned ED’s “illegal” action said all funds held in the party’s bank accounts have been fully and transparently disclosed.
The ED on Tuesday raided five premises in Kolkata, including those belonging to a private jet and charter hiring company named Carewell Aviation India Pvt. Ltd. (File)
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday condemned the Enforcement Directorate’s move to freeze the party’s three bank accounts, holding deposits worth Rs 440 crore, under the anti-money laundering law following searches in an alleged funds misappropriation case.
The TMC, in a statement on X, said 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 details relating to electoral bonds are already available with the Government of India, as the bonds were issued by the State Bank of India (SBI) and subsequently submitted to the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” it wrote on X.
Mamata Banerjee-led party called the ED’s “politically motivated act.” “We strongly condemn this arbitrary and illegal action. 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,” it added.
ED Freezes TMC’s Rs 440-Cr Worth Bank Deposits
The ED said in a statement that the orders were issued under Section 17 (1A) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which authorises an ED officer to freeze an asset (like a bank deposit) when it is not practicable to seize such a property and it is essential that the asset is not transferred or otherwise dealt with. Such an order has to be confirmed by the adjudicating authority of the PMLA within a fixed time period.
An amount of Rs 440.42 crore is held in the three HDFC Bank accounts of the TMC, the ED said.
The ED on Tuesday raided five premises in Kolkata, including those belonging to a private jet and charter hiring company named Carewell Aviation India Pvt. Ltd.
The agency undertook this action after taking cognisance of an FIR filed by Kolkata police (Bidhannagar cyber wing) regarding allegations of dishonest financial dealings, unlawful money collection, and routing suspected funds through certain bank accounts of the TMC, which was recently ousted from power in West Bengal by the BJP.
About the Author
Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter –twitter.com/saurabhkverma19
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