In a massive development just 10 days before the West Bengal Assembly Elections, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Vinesh Chandel, Co-founder and Director of I-PAC, a political consultancy firm for the TMC. On Tuesday, a special court in Delhi remanded Chandel to 10 days of ED custody following his arrest on Monday night under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED alleges that proceeds from the illegal coal mining scam in Bengal were funneled into I-PAC’s accounts through hawala channels. This arrest follows a series of raids across Delhi, Bengaluru, and Kolkata targeting I-PAC top brass, including Rishi Raj Singh and Prateek Jain. The case gained notoriety earlier when CM Mamata Banerjee personally intervened during a raid in Kolkata, allegedly whisking away documents and laptops from an official’s residence.

Trinamool National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee reacted sharply, calling the arrest a direct threat to the “level playing field” of the elections. “It’s a chilling message: if you work for the opposition, you are the next target. This isn’t democracy; it’s pure intimidation,” he posted on X. With the polls around the corner, Chandel’s arrest has sparked a fierce political battle between the TMC and the BJP-led Center.