ED arrests I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel in Bengal coal case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Vinesh Chandel, a director and co-founder of political consultancy I-PAC, in a money-laundering probe connected to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal. Officials said the arrest was carried out in Delhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and Chandel will be produced before a court on Tuesday. The move widens the ED’s inquiry into money flows linked to coal mining in the state and the wider political-advisory network around I-PAC.

ED officials allege that around ₹20 crore in proceeds of crime generated in the West Bengal coal mining racket were routed through hawala channels to I-PAC. The case forms part of a broader examination into how funds may have moved between political consulting outfits and strategic actors tied to parties active in West Bengal politics. The agency had earlier conducted raids on I-PAC premises and at the residences of key personnel late last month, signaling a sustained push to recover and examine documents related to the probe.

The investigation also scrutinues dealings between I-PAC and Vijay Nair, a former AAP communications adviser, amid questions about access to data and strategy documents. In January, I-PAC faced a dramatic raid that became a flashpoint in legal battles with the West Bengal government, which criticized ED actions as heavy-handed. I-PAC has stated that its role is limited to providing transparent, professional election-strategy support, and has denied any illegal activity.

The ED’s money-laundering probe is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation FIR of 2020 concerning alleged illegal mining and transportation of coal at Eastern Coalfields Ltd’s Kunustoria and Kajora mines in West Bengal. Officials say the agency will continue its examinations to determine the extent of any illicit funds and the involvement of I-PAC personnel in the scheme, while maintaining due process as the case proceeds through the courts.

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