The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned the wife and brother of Pratik Jain, one of the co-founders of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC). The move comes a day after the central agency took another senior functionary of the organisation, Vinesh Chandel, into custody.
According to news agency ANI, the ED has called Pratik Jain’s brother, Pulkit Jain, and his wife, Barbie Jain, to appear before its headquarters in New Delhi on April 15. The summons is part of the agency’s probe into alleged hawala transactions linked to the I-PAC case. Notably, Pulkit Jain is also associated with the organisation and is counted among its co-founders.
Sources within the ED indicated that both individuals will be questioned under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the ongoing investigation.
Earlier, on Monday, ED officials conducted a raid at Vinesh Chandel’s residence in Delhi. He was subsequently arrested the same night. On Tuesday morning, Additional Sessions Judge Shefali Barnala Tandon of the Patiala House Court remanded Chandel to ED custody. The agency informed the court that Chandel, also a co-founder of I-PAC, holds a 33 percent stake in the organisation and is under investigation in connection with a PMLA case that originated from a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Delhi Police.
The case has seen prior enforcement action as well. On January 8, ED officials carried out searches at I-PAC’s office in Kolkata and at the residence of Pratik Jain in the city. During the operation, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited both locations along with state government officials.
Allegations have since surfaced that Banerjee entered Jain’s residence during the ED search and removed documents, files, and a laptop. She is also accused of taking similar actions at the firm’s office in Salt Lake. The ED subsequently approached the Supreme Court, alleging obstruction of its investigation.
A hearing on the agency’s petition was scheduled in the Supreme Court on Tuesday; however, the proceedings have been adjourned indefinitely, according to court announcements.
