As ED crackdown on I-PAC chief Pratik Jain rattles Mamata Banerjee, read how the political consultancy is shrouded in corruption

Pratik Jain, the co-founder of the political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee or I-PAC, has come under scanner over alleged links to the coal mining scam. On 8th January 2026, the Enforcement Directorate raided at several locations in Kolkata and Bidhannagar. The ED searched I-PAC’s office located on the 11th floor of a building in Salt Lake, the Loudon Street residence of I-PAC’s head, Pratik Jain, and the office of a trader in the Posta area of Burrabazar, Kolkata. Pratik Jain also heads the IT Cell of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Due to this, apparently, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was furious over the ED action against Pratik Jain and caused chaos during the raids. Banerjee made a surprise visit to the residence of Pratik Jain while the ED conducted searches. “This is most unfortunate. The ED has raided the house and office of our IT wing and its head. They are trying to collect all kinds of information,” Banerjee said. She added that she had spoken to Pratik Jain, whom she described as being in charge of her party’s work. The I-PAC, the Coal Mine Scam, and TMC’s Goa poll campaign connection Founded in 2013 by poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, I-PAC is a successor to Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG). The I-PAC is a political consultancy providing campaign strategy, data analytics, and grassroots mobilisation services to various political parties across India. The I-PAC is having close links with the Trinamool Congress since 2019 and delivered a success a decisive victory to the party in 2021 West Bengal state assembly elections. However, after Prashant Kishor’s exit in 2021 and Rishi Raj Singh and Pratik Jain taking over the consultancy’s control as Directors, alongside Vinesh Chandel, I-PAC faced electoral setbacks in Delhi wherein its client Aam Aadmi Party lost election to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2025. Before this, the I-PAC failed to generate momentum for its client YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh where the BJP-Telugu Desam Party alliance emerged victorious in 2024. Source: I-PAC’s website Besides, the I-PAC came under scrutiny over alleged financial improprieties, opaque funding, and links to political corruption. The current ED action stems from the evidence, the probe agency says it has about Jain’s connection with some hawala transactions pertaining to a coal mining scam in West Bengal.  “One hawala operator linked to layering of proceeds of crime of coal smuggling had facilitated transactions of tens of crores of rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited,” the ED said, adding that the raids were a part of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Back in 2020, an FIR was filed in the illegal coal mining scam case. The investigation revealed that coal was being mined and stolen from the lease zone of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) in and around the Paschim Bardhaman district in West Bengal. This was happening in collusion with the railways and CISF officials alongside other relevant department. The probe further traced presence of Hawala operators in the case. It emerged that the illegally mined and stolen coal was being sold in plants in Bardhaman, Purulia, Bankura, and other districts in West Bengal. The probe revealed that most of the coal was being sold to Shakambhari group of companies. The investigators found that around Rs 2,742.32 crore, including taxes and royalties, was siphoned off via illegal mining from the ECL lease area between December 2017 and October 2020. The ED probe found that the illegal mining syndicate illegally mined around 25.51 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of coal worth Rs 1,114.35 crore. A man named Anup Maji was reported to be the mastermind of the coal mining scam. Between the years 2000-2015, around 16 FIRs were registered against Maji. In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a fresh case of coal theft and smuggling. It was found that Anup Maji had hired several employees for the maintenance of record of the illegally mined and stolen coal which was sold to various companies. The probe further revealed that one Gurapada Maji transferred Rs 89 crore as proceeds of crimes via Anup Maji’s associates between 2017 and 2020. Meanwhile, another accused person Jayadev Mandal transferred proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 58 crore. Between January and April 2021, the Enforcement Directorate carried out search and seizure operations at 46 locations linked to the accused persons under Section 17 of the PMLA. The I-PAC came into the picture here after the ED investigation found that one of the Hawala operators in the coal mining scam had facilitated the transfer of crores of rupees to the I-PAC. Following this, the ED launched searches on the premise linked to I-PAC chief Pratik Jain. It has alleged that coal scam money from Anup Maji were routed through hawala to IPAC, were used for TMC’s Goa election campaign. Th

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As ED crackdown on I-PAC chief Pratik Jain rattles Mamata Banerjee, read how the political consultancy is shrouded in corruption

Pratik Jain, the co-founder of the political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee or I-PAC, has come under scanner over alleged links to the coal mining scam. On 8th January 2026, the Enforcement Directorate raided at several locations in Kolkata and Bidhannagar.

The ED searched I-PAC’s office located on the 11th floor of a building in Salt Lake, the Loudon Street residence of I-PAC’s head, Pratik Jain, and the office of a trader in the Posta area of Burrabazar, Kolkata.

Pratik Jain also heads the IT Cell of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Due to this, apparently, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was furious over the ED action against Pratik Jain and caused chaos during the raids.

Banerjee made a surprise visit to the residence of Pratik Jain while the ED conducted searches. “This is most unfortunate. The ED has raided the house and office of our IT wing and its head. They are trying to collect all kinds of information,” Banerjee said. She added that she had spoken to Pratik Jain, whom she described as being in charge of her party’s work.

The I-PAC, the Coal Mine Scam, and TMC’s Goa poll campaign connection

Founded in 2013 by poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor, I-PAC is a successor to Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG). The I-PAC is a political consultancy providing campaign strategy, data analytics, and grassroots mobilisation services to various political parties across India. The I-PAC is having close links with the Trinamool Congress since 2019 and delivered a success a decisive victory to the party in 2021 West Bengal state assembly elections.

However, after Prashant Kishor’s exit in 2021 and Rishi Raj Singh and Pratik Jain taking over the consultancy’s control as Directors, alongside Vinesh Chandel, I-PAC faced electoral setbacks in Delhi wherein its client Aam Aadmi Party lost election to the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2025. Before this, the I-PAC failed to generate momentum for its client YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh where the BJP-Telugu Desam Party alliance emerged victorious in 2024.

Source: I-PAC’s website

Besides, the I-PAC came under scrutiny over alleged financial improprieties, opaque funding, and links to political corruption. The current ED action stems from the evidence, the probe agency says it has about Jain’s connection with some hawala transactions pertaining to a coal mining scam in West Bengal.

 “One hawala operator linked to layering of proceeds of crime of coal smuggling had facilitated transactions of tens of crores of rupees to Indian Pac Consulting Private Limited,” the ED said, adding that the raids were a part of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Back in 2020, an FIR was filed in the illegal coal mining scam case. The investigation revealed that coal was being mined and stolen from the lease zone of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) in and around the Paschim Bardhaman district in West Bengal. This was happening in collusion with the railways and CISF officials alongside other relevant department. The probe further traced presence of Hawala operators in the case.

It emerged that the illegally mined and stolen coal was being sold in plants in Bardhaman, Purulia, Bankura, and other districts in West Bengal. The probe revealed that most of the coal was being sold to Shakambhari group of companies. The investigators found that around Rs 2,742.32 crore, including taxes and royalties, was siphoned off via illegal mining from the ECL lease area between December 2017 and October 2020.

The ED probe found that the illegal mining syndicate illegally mined around 25.51 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of coal worth Rs 1,114.35 crore.

A man named Anup Maji was reported to be the mastermind of the coal mining scam. Between the years 2000-2015, around 16 FIRs were registered against Maji.

In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a fresh case of coal theft and smuggling. It was found that Anup Maji had hired several employees for the maintenance of record of the illegally mined and stolen coal which was sold to various companies. The probe further revealed that one Gurapada Maji transferred Rs 89 crore as proceeds of crimes via Anup Maji’s associates between 2017 and 2020. Meanwhile, another accused person Jayadev Mandal transferred proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 58 crore.

Between January and April 2021, the Enforcement Directorate carried out search and seizure operations at 46 locations linked to the accused persons under Section 17 of the PMLA.

The I-PAC came into the picture here after the ED investigation found that one of the Hawala operators in the coal mining scam had facilitated the transfer of crores of rupees to the I-PAC. Following this, the ED launched searches on the premise linked to I-PAC chief Pratik Jain.

It has alleged that coal scam money from Anup Maji were routed through hawala to IPAC, were used for TMC’s Goa election campaign. Thus, there emerged an alleged direct link between the coal scam funds and TMC’s Goa political financing.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the TMC used “Rs 20 crore proceeds of crime” in Goa between 2021 and 2022. The probe agency mentioned this in a writ petition filed before the Calcutta High Court on 9th January.

The coal mining scam proceeds of crime were routed via a firm R. Kanti Lal in Kolkata and through some other hawala operators before reaching I-PAC and its director Pratik Jain. Once the money reached I-PAC, the ED alleges, it was used for TMC’s poll strategy in Goa in 2022.

Notably, on during the Thursday raids, the ED also searched R. Kanti Lal firm’s office in Kolkata.

The ED said that a WhatsApp conversation between Anup Maji’s accountant Niraj Singh and his associate station Ashok Kumar Mishra who was the former in-charge of Bankura police from 26th August 2020, showed that the firm R. Kanti Lal was used for transfer of proceeds of crime via illegal channels.

Notably, Ashok Kumar Mishra was arrested by the ED in 2021. Mishra is currently out on bail.

“Intelligence was received that around Rs 20 crore of proceeds of crime from Kolkata to Goa was transferred through R. Kanti Lal firm. The employee who handled the hawala transfers at Goa is Sagar Kumar Patel,” the ED said in its petition.

The probe anti-graft agency said that during interrogation, Patel told them about one Akshay Kumar, who admitted that he received cash in Goa through a hawala channel arranged by ASM Event Technology’s proprietor Pankaj Malik.

According to the ED, Akshay Kumar is an employee of event management companies ASM Event Technology, and Hertz and Pixelz.

Furthermore, the ED revealed that Akshay Kumar was questioned twice, on 26th October 2023 and 10th January 2024. During this, Akshay Kumar said that the two event management companies ASM Event Technology, and Hertz and Pixelz, worked for the I-PAC. These companies managed I-PAC’s events during the years 2021 and 2022.

During questioning, Alpesh Patel, an employee at R. Kanti Lal firm confessed that he had arranged Rs 20 crore cash in Goa from Kolkata and that this money was given to Akshay Kumar. It further emerged these funds were arranged at the behest of one Mukesh Patel, the owner of Rajesh Maganlal firm.

The questioning of Mukesh Patel led ED sleuths to one Mukesh Thakkar alias Munna. The ED said that Mukesh Patel arranged the illicit funds at the request of Mukesh Thakkar.

Thakkar revealed that Jitendra Mehta, who ran a non-banking financial company (NBFC) in Kolkata, had aided in transferring the proceeds of crime linked to the coal mining scam.

“Jitender Mehta has assisted in transferring the proceeds of crime through hawala from Kolkata to Goa. He has assisted in transferring Rs 20 crore to Goa to be used by I-PAC in Goa. As per information, Pratik Jain, Co-founder and Director of I-PAC, has handled I-PAC operations in Goa. The funds have been handed over to Akshay Kumar, who is an employee of Hertz and Pixel and ASM Event Technology which have admittedly worked for I-PAC in Goa,” the Enforcement Directorate said in its petition filed before the court.

Who is Pratik Jain?

Notably, Pratik Jain is an engineer-turned-political consultant. He is the co-founder of the I-PAC. Jain did his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) from IIT Bombay in 2012. He previously interned at the Axis Mutual Fund. Jain also worked at Deloitte for a brief time period before becoming a founding member of ‘Citizens for Accountable Governance’ NGO.

Importantly, Pratik Jain is the head of the IT Cell of the West Bengal’s ruling party Trinamool Congress. Jain’s I-PAC played a significant role in TMC’s victory in the 2021 state elections.

During Thursday ED raids, Mamata Banerjee’s dramatic arrival at the scene and taking away of some files and a hard disk raised eyebrows with questions being raised if the Chief Minister acted out of fear and desperation to cover up a scandal yet to be fully unearthed.

On 9th January, TMC leaders, including CM Mamata Banerjee and loudmouth Mahua Moitra are staging a sit-in protest and holding a rally against the Central government over the ED raids at Pratik Jain’s residence. In fact, CM Banerjee has personally lodged a police complaint against the Enforcement Directorate at Kolkata’s Shakespeare Sarani station.  Questions are being raised over why the TMC is so rattled over probe agency investigating a private consultancy firm.

YSRCP government gave Rs 274 crore to I-PAC via shell companies: When TDP accused Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party of diverting public funds for I-PAC

Back in 2023, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) accused then CM Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government of diverting Rs 274 crore of public money to the Pratik Jain-led I-PAC. It was alleged that under the pretext of supervising village and ward volunteers, the Jagan government illegally diverted Rs 274 crore to the I-PAC.

TDP spokesperson Neelayapalem Vijay Kumar had alleged that in July 2021, a GO was issued by the Andhra Pradesh government which appointed the consortium of Ram Info, Vupadhi Infotech, and Max Security Detective Agency for surveillance of volunteers across the state. The TDP alleged that the employees working at Ram Info were actually I-PAC employees.

It was further alleged that a post-facto GO was issued by the YSRCP government to pay Rs 68.02 crore annually to a consortium named eld Operation Agency (FPO) from June 2020 onwards.

The appointment of a private agency for volunteer supervision was illegal since volunteers are a part of the government. Moreover, issuance of a GO without calling tenders was a further violation of the law by the YSRCP government, the TDP alleged.

The TDP this was only one part of a larger scam. “The actual motive was to benefit I-PAC which works as political consultant for YSRCP. The employees working in Ram Info are actually employees of I-PAC. The conspiracy was hatched to pay for the services rendered by I-PAC to YSRCP from the public exchequer by creating shell companies,” the TDP leader alleged back in 2023.

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