India's Supreme Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to consider releasing funds from the frozen bank accounts of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) so the party can carry out its daily operations. The order came during a hearing on a money-laundering probe, while the Calcutta High Court is separately reviewing the freezing order.
The top court asked the central agency to obtain instructions on whether a portion of the funds could be released and to report back after a week. The ED had frozen the accounts as part of its investigation into the TMC.
The ruling offers temporary relief to the party, which had sought access to the accounts for routine expenses. The Calcutta High Court's review of the freezing order remains pending, and the Supreme Court's intervention sets the stage for the agency to decide on partial release of funds.
The case is part of a broader money-laundering investigation involving the TMC, though the specific allegations were not detailed in the court's request. The ED is expected to respond to the Supreme Court's directive within the week.