A Delhi court has granted bail to Vinesh Chandel, a director at the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a consultancy firm linked to the Trinamool Congress. The decision came on April 30, 2026, a day after the conclusion of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) did not oppose Chandel's regular bail application, a key factor in the court's decision.
The court stipulated that Chandel must not tamper with evidence or influence witnesses . This move follows Chandel's arrest on April 13, 2026, in connection with a money laundering case tied to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal. Earlier, on April 23, 2026, he was remanded to judicial custody.
Court Proceedings and ED's Stance
Patiala House Court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal, granted the relief after the ED indicated it would not oppose the bail plea. Chandel's counsel, Vikas Pahwa, cited his client's cooperation with the investigation. The ED had previously alleged financial irregularities, including the use of domestic and international hawala channels for cash movement, the receipt of accounted and unaccounted funds, unsecured loans without legitimate business backing, bogus invoices, and the routing of funds through third parties. The agency also claimed that approximately Rs 20 crore, allegedly generated from coal pilferage in West Bengal, was routed to I-PAC.
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Previous Interim Bail Rejection
Prior to this development, on April 28, 2026, the same court, under Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon, had rejected Chandel's plea for interim bail. The rejection was based on the grounds that his mother's deteriorating health, attributed to dementia, did not present the "clear, proximate and compelling necessity" required for such relief under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The court noted that there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that her medical needs could not be met through hospitalization, professional care, or family support.
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Background of the Case
The money laundering investigation stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of illegal mining and sale of coal from Eastern Coalfields Ltd areas in West Bengal. Businessman Anup Majee has been identified as a central figure in the alleged syndicate. The ED had previously raided I-PAC's Kolkata office, which led to a confrontation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. During earlier proceedings, the court had noted the ED's compliance with statutory safeguards under the PMLA during Chandel's arrest and also took note of allegations concerning the deletion of electronic records and emails after search proceedings, which could have impeded the investigation.
