SC weighs release of TMC funds for daily expenses

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on whether a limited amount from the All India Trinamool Congress's frozen bank accounts could be released to a court-appointed administrator to meet the party's day-to-day expenses.

The development took place during the hearing of a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction challenging the Calcutta High Court's refusal to grant any interim relief to the party.

A division bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale verbally suggested to the counsel for the federal agency to "release some amount to the administrator to allow him to do something."


In response, the ED's counsel submitted that the same is "already available. Rs 164 crore is not attached." Disputing the claim, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the TMC, urged the bench to gArant the party some relief.

The bench eventually granted the ED time to furnish its response on whether it could permit the release of more funds to the retired judge appointed earlier by the HC to oversee withdrawals for the party's routine expenses. "We have suggested to both sides whether some amount can be released in favour of the administrator to conduct the day-to-day affairs... especially when he has been appointed by the court's orders and is directed to account for the same," the bench observed.