Enforcement Directorate accuses I-PAC of laundering funds through fake invoices and hawala channels in West Bengal coal scam probe.
April 14, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate has accused political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee of generating “bogus invoices” to justify receiving funds from multiple third-party entities without providing actual services. The agency arrested I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal coal mining in West Bengal. He was produced before a Delhi court and remanded to 10-day ED custody after a late-night hearing.
According to the ED, financial transactions were deliberately structured to give legitimacy to illicit funds, which were routed through both banking and non-banking channels. The agency alleged that significant amounts were credited to I-PAC’s accounts without genuine business purposes, indicating that the firm acted as a conduit for laundering money. Investigators also pointed to the use of hawala transactions and claimed that funds were systematically layered to conceal their origin and integrate them into the formal financial system.
The ED further alleged that Chandel and other directors adopted a dual system of handling funds—splitting them between accounted and unaccounted channels—to hide the true nature of transactions. The agency also accused him of making misleading statements and attempting to delete sensitive financial data. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier criticised ED raids on I-PAC, alleging political targeting and attempts to access election-related data, claims that the agency has not commented on.