The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested I-PAC co-founder and director Vinesh Chandel in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to the alleged West Bengal coal smuggling scam. The arrest follows multiple raids conducted earlier across several cities.
On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate carried out a major operation and arrested Vinesh Chandel, co-founder and director of political consultancy firm I-PAC. The arrest was made in Delhi under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The action is part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities connected to the West Bengal coal scam.
Delhi: ED took I-PAC Director and Co-Founder Vinesh Chandel out of the judge’s residence. pic.twitter.com/0v7glTQ8Ik
— IANS (@ians_india) April 14, 2026
Vinesh Chandel is considered one of the prominent faces and founding members of I-PAC. He co-founded the political consultancy firm along with Prashant Kishor, Prateek Jain, and Rishi Raj Singh.
Chandel has been actively involved in the strategic operations of the company and played a significant role in managing the election campaigns of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal.
Earlier, on April 2, the ED had conducted extensive raids at multiple locations linked to the case. These included Chandel’s premises in Delhi, the residence of I-PAC co-founder Rishi Raj Singh in Bengaluru, and locations associated with former Aam Aadmi Party communication in-charge Vijay Nair in Mumbai.
In a prior operation on January 8, the agency had also searched I-PAC offices and the Kolkata residence of its founder Prateek Jain. The developments had drawn political attention, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly visiting the site at the time.
The investigation originates from a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in November 2020. The FIR alleged a large-scale coal smuggling racket involving illegal extraction from mines operated by Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) in the Asansol region.
According to the ED, a hawala operator linked to the scam facilitated the transfer of substantial funds to entities associated with I-PAC. Investigators are examining the financial trail to determine the extent of involvement and identify beneficiaries.
The arrest marks a key development in the coal smuggling probe, bringing a prominent political strategist under the scanner. With multiple raids and financial linkages under investigation, the case is expected to unfold further in the coming days, escpecially due to Chandel's arrest just days ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
