Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the state government would conduct an inquiry into the financial activities of three cooperative banks in Tamluk, Contai and Midnapore, which are headed by Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari.

“We have received some complaints related to these banks. The finance department would conduct an internal inquiry into the complaints,” the chief minister told a news conference at Nabanna on Wednesday.

Sources said the complaints lodged with the government suggested that there were some ghost accounts dealing in huge funds at the three banks.

“The chief minister has ordered an inquiry to find out the original account holders and how much money was parked in these accounts. The finance department would try to find out the details of the accounts,” said a senior Nabanna official.

Mamata said she was surprised to know that a writ petition had already been filed in the court to prevent any kind of audit at the banks.

“Why is this panic? The government can carry out internal inquiries through the finance department. It is the responsibility of the government to inquire into the complaints lodged with it,” she said.

Sources said although Suvendu had resigned from most posts he used to hold before joining the BJP, he did not quit the positions at the three cooperative banks.

Bengal BJP president

Dilip Ghosh said financial dealings at all cooperative banks in the state should be probed.

“Why is the chief minister conducting a probe at a handful of cooperative banks? Is it only because some people joined the BJP after leaving Trinamul? I would say the state should conduct an inquiry into all cooperative banks in the state,” Ghosh said.