Before Bengal elections, ED sent summons to I-PAC director Rishi Raj Singh, will appear in Delhi on Monday.

Kolkata, 19 April. Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered a major blow as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation against the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a political consultancy firm that prepares election strategy for the TMC, and has summoned I-PAC director Rishi Raj Singh for questioning in a money laundering case related to hawala transactions. Rishi Raj has been summoned to appear at the ED office in Delhi on Monday (April 20).

This month, a raid was conducted at Rishi Raj’s Bengaluru residence.

It is noteworthy that the three founding directors of I-PAC, established in 2015, include Rishi Raj Singh, Vinesh Chandel and Prateek Jain. ED had recently arrested Vinesh Chandel, who is currently in the agency’s custody. Rishi Raj Singh’s statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Earlier on April 2, ED had also raided his premises in Bengaluru.

Allegations of manipulation of accounts and transfer of unaccounted money through directors

This entire investigation is based on the FIR of Delhi Police, in which I-PAC has been accused of manipulation of accounts and transaction of unaccounted money through its directors. ED claims that I-PAC has played a role in diverting ‘proceeds of crime’ worth about Rs 50 crore.

The investigating agency has uncovered several patterns of financial irregularities, which include taking unaccounted money from political parties and other institutions. Apart from this, taking unsecured loans without any business credentials, issuing fake bills and challans, here and there transactions of cash through Hawala channels are also included in these.

I-PAC stopped all work in Bengal, sent employees on 20 days leave

Meanwhile, in another development, I-PAC, which makes election strategy for TMC in West Bengal and ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, has stopped all its work in Bengal and has sent all its employees on 20 days leave.

Information given to employees through internal email

Employees have been informed about this through an internal email. In this email, the main reason for stopping work for some time has been given as some specific legal compulsions. According to sources, employees received this email around midnight on Saturday.

management Will contact employees again after May 11

In the instructions issued by the I-PAC management, it has been said that all the employees currently working in West Bengal are instructed to stop work immediately and go on some leave for the next 20 days. The management will contact the employees again after May 11, after which the situation will be taken stock and future strategies or next steps will be discussed.

In the email, I-PAC management said – ‘We have always respected the law, and we are giving our full cooperation in the entire legal process. We are confident that we will get justice at the right time.

Big stir in political circles of Bengal

This development has created a huge stir in the political circles of the state. Political experts believe that the sudden withdrawal of this company, which is considered one of the main forces behind the election campaigns, strategic planning and election maneuvering of the Trinamool Congress, has put the ruling party of the state in a very difficult situation right on the threshold of the elections.

in the state Elections will be held in two phases on 23rd and 29th April

Elections are to be held in West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29 and the counting of votes will take place on May 4. According to sources, this unique step of I-PAC has been taken due to the recent political turmoil and increasing pressure from the central investigating agencies.

ED in January this year I-PAC Raid was conducted on the premises of

It is noteworthy that in January this year, ED had conducted a surprise search operation at the Kolkata office of I-PAC and the Loudon Street residence of Prateek Jain, one of the key members of the organization. During these search operations, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself reached the place where the searches were going on. Allegations were made that despite the ED raids continuing, important documents were removed from the place.

At that time, the Chief Minister alleged that the ruling BJP at the Center was deliberately using the central investigative agencies as a weapon to further its political interests and to ‘steal’ highly confidential and important information related to the election strategies of the Trinamool Congress. The legality of these search operations ultimately became a matter for the Supreme Court, where the matter is still pending.