New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday, April 23, 2026, remanded Vinesh Chandel, the co-founder and 33 per cent shareholder of political consultancy firm I-PAC, to 14-day judicial custody. Additional Sessions Judge Deepti Devesh passed the order after Chandel was produced by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) upon the completion of his initial 10-day custodial interrogation. The agency’s plea for judicial custody was granted as the investigation into a multi-crore money laundering case linked to an alleged coal pilferage scam in West Bengal continues to evolve.
The ED’s investigation stems from a 2020 CBI FIR concerning the illegal excavation and smuggling of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in the Asansol region. The federal agency has alleged that I-PAC was involved in laundering proceeds of crime worth approximately ₹50 crore through a complex network of “hawala” operators and bogus invoices. According to the ED, the firm utilized a “50% cheque” system, where a significant portion of payments was received in unaccounted cash. These funds were allegedly diverted to influence public perception and manage election-related expenditures during previous political campaigns in West Bengal.
Vinesh Chandel was arrested on April 13, 2026, just ten days before the commencement of the current West Bengal Assembly elections. His arrest has triggered a fierce political debate, with Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership calling it “electoral sabotage” and an attempt by the Union government to derail the party’s campaign strategy. Simultaneously, Chandel has approached the Patiala House Court seeking regular bail, with the court issuing a notice to the ED to file its response by April 29. While the defense argues that the arrest lacks merit, the court has previously noted that there is sufficient reason to believe Chandel was actively involved in the generation and possession of the proceeds of crime.
