Kolkata: In a major crackdown on alleged financial irregularities of the previous regime, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a thorough investigation into a Rs 635-crore advertising scam reportedly connected to Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee and her party.
The move comes as the TMC faces unprecedented internal collapse, with mass defections and factionalism threatening the party’s very existence after its electoral defeat.
Massive Ad Scam Under Scanner
According to preliminary findings, a Kolkata-based advertising agency close to the TMC allegedly received around Rs 635 crore in public funds through suspicious transactions over the past few years. The funds were reportedly routed into three separate bank accounts linked to the agency.
Key highlights of the alleged scam include:
- At least 20 major transactions under investigation.
- One single transaction exceeding Rs 503 crore.
- Multiple other payments above Rs 95 crore and several instances of over Rs 10 crore each.
- Suspected irregularities in government advertising contracts, event management, and projects like the Bengal Global Business Summit.
The Adhikari government has described the case as “large-scale looting of public money.” CM Suvendu Adhikari has indicated that the probe may soon be handed over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate possible money laundering angles.
TMC’s Internal Meltdown
The timing of the probe has amplified the crisis within the TMC, which ruled West Bengal for over 15 years under Mamata Banerjee before suffering a humiliating loss in the recent Assembly elections.
The party is currently witnessing:
- Mass Rebellion in Assembly: More than two-thirds of TMC’s remaining 80 MLAs (around 58) have broken away, forming a separate bloc now recognized as the principal opposition under Ritabrata Banerjee.
- Parliamentary Crisis: A rebel group led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claims support of over 20 Lok Sabha MPs, with additional resignations reported in the Rajya Sabha.
- Growing unrest at municipal levels and widespread factionalism as leaders and workers abandon the sinking ship.
Mamata Banerjee herself is under multiple pressures, including an FIR over alleged hate speech and the personal setback of losing her own seat in the elections.
What Lies Ahead?
State agencies have begun scrutinizing financial records and transaction details. Any escalation to central agencies like the ED could expose deeper irregularities from the previous TMC-led government.
Political observers see this as part of the new administration’s efforts to enforce accountability while the opposition grapples with survival. The developments mark a dramatic shift in West Bengal’s political landscape.
Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses. This case is likely to dominate headlines in the coming weeks.
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