Desk Correspondent , New Delhi - A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Vinesh Chandel, director of the political consultancy firm I-PAC, in a high-profile money laundering case. The decision by Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal of Patiala House Courts came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) expressed "no objection" to the plea, citing Chandel’s cooperation during the investigation. The court ordered his release on a personal bond of ₹2 lakh with one surety of the same amount.
The ED’s stance was pivotal in the proceedings, as Special Public Prosecutor Simon Benjamin noted that the agency would not oppose the bail given the "valuable leads" provided by the accused. Chandel’s counsel, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, argued that since the federal agency did not oppose the plea, the stringent "twin conditions" for bail under Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) would not apply. Consequently, the court imposed standard conditions, including a travel ban without prior permission and a requirement for Chandel to join the probe whenever summoned.
The investigation centers on allegations that I-PAC laundered proceeds of crime totaling approximately ₹50 crore through a layered system of cash and formal banking transactions. Chandel, who holds a 33% stake in the firm, was arrested in April 2026, just before the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections. The ED alleges that unaccounted funds, purportedly received from political entities, were used to influence public perception and cover election-related expenses. The agency's probe into the structured financial network remains ongoing.
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