The arrest of Vinesh Chandel, co-founder of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified scrutiny on a coal smuggling investigation in West Bengal. Chandel was detained in Delhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) amid allegations that I-PAC was involved in laundering funds generated from a coal smuggling racket. This case traces back to a November 2020 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which exposed a large-scale coal pilferage scheme in mines operated by Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) near Asansol. Investigators claim that coal was illegally extracted and sold on the black market, creating a significant cash flow that was funneled through hawala channels into entities connected with I-PAC. The ED alleges that around ₹50 crore (approximately $6 million USD) in suspicious funds was routed through I-PAC, with transactions structured to appear legitimate. As the investigation progresses, the ED aims to establish a clear link between the coal syndicate's illicit financial activities and I-PAC's operations.