I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel sent to 10 days in ED custody
- Posted on April 14, 2026
- By Business News Today
- 10 Views
In brief
The co-founder of I-PAC, a prominent Indian political consulting firm, has been detained for ten days by the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi. The arrest stems from allegations of money laundering connected to a substantial coal theft scheme in West Bengal. Investigators claim that illicit funds were channeled through informal hawala networks to finance I-PAC's operations. This development coincides with critical state elections and has drawn criticism from opposition parties questioning the timing and motivations of the enforcement action.
I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel sent to 10 days in ED custody
A special court in Delhi has remanded Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of I-PAC, to 10 days of ED custody after his arrest in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal, just ahead of the state assembly polls. The Enforcement Directorates action follows earlier raids at multiple locations connected to the case, while the probe stems from a 2020 FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation alleging a multi-crore coal pilferage racket involving Eastern Coalfields Limited. The arrest has sparked political reactions, with Abhishek Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress questioning its timing, as the ED claims funds were routed through hawala channels to I-PACs company and investigations continue.
