Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) has decided to suspend all activities in West Bengal for 20 days following the arrest of its co-founder Vinesh Chandel by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a coal smuggling case. I-PAC, known for its role as the voter strategy agency of the Trinamool Congress, informed its Kolkata office employees via email to take a 20-day leave due to legal reasons. The management emphasized its commitment to abiding by the law and expressed confidence in the judicial process.
The email instructed all I-PAC employees to take a short break for the specified period, with plans to reassess the situation by May 11 and determine the next course of action. The communication highlighted the importance of cooperation and understanding from the staff during this period of pause. The decision to halt operations in West Bengal was made promptly in response to ongoing legal matters, with the management aiming to resume activities after the stipulated break.
Following Chandel’s arrest, the ED also summoned Pulkit Jain, brother of I-PAC’s co-founder Pratik Jain, and Jain’s wife, Barbie Jain, for questioning in the coal smuggling investigation. However, neither of them appeared before the agency for questioning. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee raised concerns over Chandel’s arrest, criticizing the timing just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections. The ED’s actions have sparked controversy, with allegations of disrupting the electoral process and creating an uneven playing field.
