The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday (April 13) arrested Vinesh Chandel, co-founder and director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal, officials said. He was taken into custody in Delhi under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Notably, the I-PAC has been providing political consultancy to the TMC and the West Bengal government since 2021.
ED raids I-PAC executives
Earlier on April 2, the ED had carried out searches at multiple locations, including Chandel's premises in Delhi, those of I-PAC co-founder Rishi Raj Singh in Bengaluru, and former Aam Aadmi Party communications in-charge Vijay Nair in Mumbai.
On January 8, the federal probe agency conducted raids in connection with the case at the I-PAC office and the Kolkata residence of its founder and one of the directors, Pratik Jain, leading to a controversy after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived at the said location along with state government officials.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Kolkata described the ED action as the BJP's "desperate bid" to derail the party's ongoing election campaigns in West Bengal.
The assembly elections in the state will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29.
West Bengal coal scam case
The ED case originates from a November 2020 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam linked to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in the Kunustoria and Kajora areas around Asansol in West Bengal.
According to the ED, a "hawala" operator associated with the alleged coal-smuggling network facilitated transactions worth tens of crores to Indian PAC Consulting Private Limited, the registered entity of I-PAC. The agency further alleged that I-PAC was among the entities connected to these hawala funds.
Earlier, the ED had claimed that nearly Rs 20 crore generated from alleged coal pilferage in West Bengal was routed to I-PAC.
Officials also stated that these funds were moved through a Mumbai-based "Angadiya" firm, which came under scrutiny during the agency’s investigation into the Delhi liquor case involving the Aam Aadmi Party.
Also Read: ED conducts fresh raids at I-PAC locations across three cities in Bengal coal smuggling case
Also Read: SC questions Bengal Govt on I-PAC raids: 'Can ED approach state police if officials face resistance'
