TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee moves HC challenging freezing of his bank account

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee on Monday approached the Calcutta High Court seeking an urgent hearing on his petition challenging the alleged freezing of his personal bank account by a private bank.

Banerjee, the Diamond Harbour MP and TMC general secretary, told the court that the account was allegedly frozen without following due procedure. His plea comes ahead of a planned overseas trip for medical treatment, for which he has obtained permission from the Supreme Court.

Justice Krishna Rao said he would hear the matter on Wednesday and directed Banerjee’s lawyer to serve notice on the parties in the meantime.

Bank action challenged

Appearing for Banerjee, advocate Ayan Bhattacharjee alleged that the private bank had frozen the MP’s personal account without following the prescribed procedure. He also told the court that no police action had been initiated in connection with the freezing of the account.

When justice Rao asked whether any investigation was underway against Banerjee, his lawyer said the high court had granted him protection from coercive action in ongoing cases and that he was complying with the conditions imposed by the court.

Bhattacharjee also highlighted Banerjee’s upcoming overseas medical trip, saying the Supreme Court had permitted him to travel abroad for three weeks for treatment.

The plea seeks urgent consideration of Banerjee’s challenge to the bank’s alleged action, with the matter now scheduled to come up before the high court on Wednesday.

Supreme Court grants travel permission

The legal development comes days after the Supreme Court permitted Banerjee to travel abroad for medical treatment for three weeks.

Banerjee has also recently secured interim protection from coercive police action in cases pending against him, with the Calcutta High Court extending the protection until 31 August.

The latest petition concerns his personal bank account and is separate from the ongoing legal dispute over the freezing of three TMC bank accounts in an Enforcement Directorate-linked matter. The Supreme Court last week declined to interfere with the Calcutta High Court’s order in that case.

With PTI inputs