Kolkata, June 19 (IANS) The West Bengal Police has directed a “debit freeze” on three bank accounts held by the Trinamool Congress at a branch of a private sector bank in central Kolkata.

The debit freeze means that all outgoing transactions from these accounts have been temporarily blocked. While incoming deposits will continue to be permitted, cash withdrawals, fund transfers, debit card transactions and automatic bill payments will not be allowed.

Earlier this week, former Trinamool Congress treasurer Aroop Biswas, who also served as West Bengal’s minister for sports and youth affairs and power, wrote to the manager of the concerned branch seeking the freezing of the accounts.

Soon afterwards, some rebel Trinamool Congress legislators led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee filed an official complaint at the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station under the Bidhannagar City Police in North 24 Parganas district, alleging that money earned through unfair means such as corruption and extortion during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government had been parked in these three accounts.

Subsequently, officials of the Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police Station sought details of the accounts from the branch authorities.

According to police sources, the bank informed investigators that a total of Rs 440 crore had been deposited in the three accounts in question.

Investigating officials thereafter decided to impose a debit freeze on the accounts and completed the necessary formalities with the bank authorities.

According to Sandipan Saha, a prominent member of the rebel Trinamool Congress MLA camp, no outward transactions should be allowed from the three accounts under the current circumstances.

“Let there be an investigation into the legitimacy of the money in these accounts. Let there be an investigation into the source of the money deposited there. We want a thorough investigation into the matter,” Saha said.

Trinamool Congress legislator Kunal Ghosh, who continues to support former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said he was aware of the development and was keeping a close watch on the issue.

–IANS

src/pgh