The Enforcement Directorate is examining advance payments totalling Rs 5.22 crore made by the Trinamool Congress for aviation services during July, August and September 2026. According to details reported by The Economic Times, the payments were made for future aviation services that had not been availed at the time of the agency’s account analysis.
The examination is part of a wider Enforcement Directorate investigation into financial transactions between the Trinamool Congress and aviation companies. The agency is specifically examining transactions involving Carewell Aviation India Private Limited and other aviation service providers.
According to the report, the Rs 5.22 crore payment was made as an advance for aviation services covering a three month period. The ED is examining the transaction to understand the contractual arrangements, source of funds, intended use of the money and the subsequent movement of funds.
The agency’s investigation also covers the financial relationship between the Trinamool Congress and companies belonging to the Carewell group. The ED has alleged that the party transferred approximately Rs 162.09 crore to Carewell group entities between July 2021 and June 2026. The agency is examining these transactions as part of its wider financial investigation.
One area under examination is the aircraft and helicopter charter arrangements between the party and Carewell Aviation. According to the ED’s account analysis cited by The Economic Times, an aircraft charter agreement signed in April 2023 involved an interest free refundable security deposit of Rs 60 crore.
A separate helicopter charter agreement signed in March 2025 involved another refundable deposit of Rs 28.5 crore. Together, the two deposits amounted to Rs 88.5 crore. The agency is examining these arrangements along with the movement and utilisation of funds connected to the aviation agreements.
The ED is also examining transactions involving another related company, Carewell Flyjet IFSC Private Limited. According to the agency’s account analysis, Rs 133.84 crore received by Carewell was subsequently provided to the related entity through inter corporate loans. The funds were reportedly connected with the acquisition of an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta 109 Grand New helicopter.
The investigation is not limited to Carewell Aviation. The ED is also examining payments made by the Trinamool Congress to other aviation companies.
One transaction under review involves a Falcon 2000 aircraft chartered from Windborne Aviation. According to the ED’s analysis cited by The Economic Times, the agreement included a minimum 150 hour commitment for 60 days. The agency’s note reportedly records that the aircraft was ultimately used for around 11 to 12 hours while the party paid approximately Rs 9.09 crore.
The Rs 5.22 crore advance payment is being treated as a separate transaction in the ED’s account analysis. The agency is examining the payment to understand the source of the funds, the contractual terms governing the advance, the services covered by the payment and the eventual utilisation of the money.
The ED’s broader investigation also concerns the freezing of bank accounts belonging to the Trinamool Congress. The latest report states that six TMC bank accounts have been frozen, with balances aggregating approximately Rs 440 crore, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Earlier reports had also detailed the ED’s action against TMC bank accounts. India Today reported in July that the agency had frozen Rs 440.42 crore held in three TMC bank accounts following searches at premises connected with the Carewell group. The agency alleged that funds transferred by the party to an aviation company were used to acquire an aircraft and a helicopter that were subsequently leased back to the party.
Court records also show that the ED issued a freezing order covering six TMC bank accounts in July 2026. The accounts included four with HDFC Bank and two with ICICI Bank.
The Trinamool Congress has challenged the ED’s action and disputed the allegations made by the agency. The party’s position is relevant to the ongoing proceedings, and the allegations under investigation should not be treated as established findings unless confirmed through the legal process.
The ED’s investigation is continuing, with the agency examining financial records, aviation agreements, payments and fund movements involving the party and aviation companies.
The latest focus on the Rs 5.22 crore advance payment comes as investigators examine the wider financial arrangements surrounding TMC’s use of aircraft and helicopters. Advance payments can form part of commercial aviation contracts, and the ED is examining the particular circumstances of this payment, including whether the corresponding services were ultimately provided and how the funds were accounted for.
The investigation also seeks to establish the relationship between payments made by the party and the aviation companies involved. The agency is examining contractual arrangements as well as the movement of funds between entities connected with the aviation business.
The freezing of the bank accounts has added another dimension to the investigation. The action has affected funds held by the Trinamool Congress, while the party has challenged the ED’s measures through legal proceedings.
The case remains under investigation, and the final findings will depend on the evidence examined by the agency and the outcome of the relevant legal proceedings.
The Rs 5.22 crore advance payment is therefore one part of a broader ED investigation into the financial transactions of the Trinamool Congress and its dealings with aviation companies. The agency is examining the source and utilisation of funds, charter agreements, security deposits and transactions involving related entities.
As the investigation continues, further details could emerge regarding the aviation contracts and financial arrangements under review. Any conclusions about wrongdoing will depend on the findings of the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
For now, the key development is that the Enforcement Directorate is examining the Rs 5.22 crore advance payment made by the Trinamool Congress for aviation services that had not yet been availed at the time of the agency’s account analysis. The investigation remains ongoing, while the TMC has disputed the agency’s allegations and challenged its actions.