KOLKATA: Former West Bengal sports minister Aroop Biswas, now under investigation for the December 'Messigate' incident at Salt Lake stadium, wrote a letter six days ago to HDFC Bank requesting that the party's account be frozen.
The letter, addressed to the bank's Central Plaza branch, sought a 'freeze' until 'competent authorities' could determine who controls the party. Aroop's letter, dated June 12 but received by the bank on June 16, became public knowledge on Thursday, the day he presented himself to police for the 'Messigate' probe.
Biswas's letter came a week after the Trinamool national working committee removed him as party treasurer on June 5, replacing him with former MP Subhasish Chakraborty. Party seniors said they had informed HDFC Bank about the change.
Biswas on Thursday refused to comment on the letter. He has skipped all party meetings at former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence since the May 4 poll defeat. His brother, Swarup Biswas, is now in police custody, implicated in multiple corruption and extortion cases.
HDFC Bank did not officially react to the development. However, a senior bank officer said the account had been placed under 'a debit freeze.' A Trinamool Congress functionary strongly disputed this, calling it 'a baseless rumour.' The account, according to the audit report submitted by TMC to the Election Commission, holds Rs 535 crore.
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party was aware of 'the news reports.' 'But we want to clarify just one thing: Biswas is not the party treasurer; the party treasurer is Chakraborty. We do not want to comment on speculations,' Ghosh added.
