India freezes Trinamool Congress accounts holding 440 crore

India's financial crimes agency has frozen bank accounts containing 440.42 crore rupees belonging to the opposition Trinamool Congress, alleging the funds are linked to a money laundering investigation involving the purchase of luxury aircraft. The Enforcement Directorate announced the action on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, after conducting searches at five locations linked to the Carewell Group, an aviation company in and around Kolkata.

The agency alleges its investigation revealed approximately 160 crore rupees was transferred from Trinamool Congress bank accounts to Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd and a related entity between April 2023 and June 2026. Officials claim that 82.96 crore rupees of that sum was subsequently routed to another newly incorporated company, which used a total of 112 crore rupees to purchase an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet and an Agusta 109 Grand New helicopter.

A central allegation is that these aircraft were then leased back to the Trinamool Congress itself, with substantial payments made for their usage. The agency stated it is investigating this arrangement to determine its purpose and whether it was designed to obscure the movement of funds. The...