New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday remanded Vinesh Chandel, co-founder and director of the political consultancy firm I-PAC, to ten days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody. Chandel was arrested late Monday evening following questioning in a money laundering case that federal officials say is linked to the ongoing investigation into the West Bengal coal scam. The arrest comes as a significant development just ten days before the West Bengal Assembly elections, scheduled to begin on April 23.
The ED’s action stems from a fresh case involving Indian PAC Consulting Pvt Ltd, which is accused of laundering proceeds of crime amounting to approximately ₹50 crore. According to the agency, I-PAC allegedly engaged in multiple financial irregularities, including receiving unaccounted funds, taking unsecured loans without business credentials, and issuing bogus invoices. The agency further claimed that funds were moved through international hawala channels. Chandel, a 33 per cent shareholder in the firm, was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon at Patiala House Courts, who granted the 10-day remand to facilitate further investigation.
The arrest has sparked a sharp political reaction, with TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee criticizing the timing of the move as a threat to a “level playing field” before the polls. This development follows a series of raids, including a January operation at I-PAC’s Kolkata office that was famously interrupted by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The ED has moved the Supreme Court regarding that incident, alleging that the Chief Minister and state administration forcibly removed crucial documents and gadgets during the search. As the court continues to hear the matter, I-PAC, which provides consultancy to the TMC and several other parties, has yet to issue a formal response to Chandel’s arrest.
