A Delhi court on Tuesday denied interim bail to Vinesh Chandel, director and co-founder of India Political Action Committee (I-PAC), in connection with a money laundering case under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.
Chandel had sought interim bail due to the deteriorating health of his 74-year-old mother, who is said to be suffering from dementia.
Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon of Patiala House Court dismissed the petition, ruling that the application did not meet the threshold of “exceptional humanitarian grounds” needed to grant interim bail.
The court stressed that it was not insensitive to the medical vulnerability of the elderly parents, but the recorded material did not indicate any sudden or life-threatening emergency requiring the immediate presence of the accused.
The court also noted that no evidence had been presented to show that the mother’s medical needs could not be met through hospitalization, professional care or assistance from other family members.
According to the Enforcement Directorate, the political consultancy firm is allegedly involved in laundering proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 1 crore, with about $Rs 50 crore has been identified so far.
Chandel, who owns 33% stake in the company, was arrested earlier in April, shortly before the West Bengal elections.
The agency alleged that I-PAC was involved in money laundering through a structured system of financial transactions, including the splitting of receipts between formal banking channels and unaccounted cash, with the money allegedly received from political parties.
It further alleged that the unaccounted funds were used for election-related expenses and to influence public perception.
The ED probe stemmed from a CBI probe alleging illegal mining and sale of coal from Eastern Coalfields Ltd areas in West Bengal, with businessman Anup Majhi identified as a key figure in the alleged syndicate.
