ED arrests Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of TMC's political brain, I-PAC
What's the story
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Vinesh Chandel, a co-founder of the political consultancy firm I-PAC, of which the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is a key client. The arrest was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with an alleged West Bengal coal scam. The agency's action comes just days before the Assembly polls in West Bengal.
Property searches
Raids on I-PAC co-founders' properties
The ED had earlier this month conducted raids on Chandel's properties in Delhi and those of another I-PAC co-founder, Rishi Raj Singh, in Bengaluru. The agency also searched the properties of former Aam Aadmi Party communications in-charge Vijay Nair in Mumbai. These actions are part of a larger investigation into alleged money laundering linked to a coal scam involving Eastern Coalfields Limited mines.
Legal proceedings
Previous raids and ongoing Supreme Court proceedings
In January 2026, the ED had also raided the I-PAC office and founder Pratik Jain's residence in Kolkata. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited the site during these raids, which led to a controversy. The Supreme Court is currently examining whether state law-enforcing agencies can interfere with central agency investigations after Banerjee's alleged obstruction of the ED's probe.
Political fallout
Trinamool Congress reacts to arrest
This case stems from a November 2020 FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation alleging a multi-crore coal-pilferage scam. The ED alleges that a "hawala" operator linked to the coal-smuggling ring facilitated transactions of tens of crores to Indian PAC Consulting Private Limited, the registered company of I-PAC. The ED probe revealed that IPAC laundered proceeds of crime amounting to approximately ₹50 crore.