ED summons Pratik Jain kin ahead of Bengal polls, TMC alleges vendetta

In a fresh development in the Indian PAC Consulting Pvt. Ltd. money laundering case, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has summoned Pulkit Jain—brother of Pratik Jain—and Barbie Jain, his wife, to appear before its Delhi office on April 15, sources said.

Earlier, Pratik Jain was raided by the ED. During the searches, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had reached his premises, following which the raids were stopped midway. ED officials suspect that Jain’s brother and wife hold key information pertaining to the case, and their names surfaced during the investigation.

The summons comes close on the heels of the arrest of Vinesh Chandel, Director of Indian PAC Consulting Pvt. Ltd., in what is being seen as part of an intensified ED crackdown ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.

Chandel, who is the founder, director, and a 33% shareholder of the firm, was arrested on April 13, 2026, by the ED’s Headquarters Investigation Unit in Delhi under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The arrest follows an FIR registered by the Delhi Police.

According to the ED, the investigation has uncovered multiple instances of financial irregularities involving Indian PAC Consulting Pvt. Ltd. These include alleged receipt of both accounted and unaccounted funds, unsecured loans without credible business backing, issuance of bogus invoices, and routing of funds through third parties.

The agency has also flagged the use of hawala channels, including suspected international transactions, to move cash. Officials said the proceeds of crime detected so far amount to approximately Rs 50 crore, with the possibility of the figure increasing as the probe deepens.

After his arrest, Chandel was produced before a Delhi court, where proceedings continued overnight from April 13 into the early hours of April 14. The court granted the ED 10 days of custody for further interrogation.

The ED said statements of multiple individuals linked to the transactions have been recorded, and searches have yielded incriminating material. The agency has also invoked provisions holding company directors accountable for offences committed with their consent, connivance, or negligence.

The action is part of a broader series of raids and investigations carried out by the ED in recent weeks, particularly in West Bengal, where several cases linked to political figures are under scrutiny.

The timing of the crackdown, just ahead of the Assembly elections, has triggered a political slugfest.

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee reacted to the arrest on social media, alleging political vendetta and questioning the timing of the agency’s actions. In a post on X, Banerjee criticised the central agencies, linking the developments to the poll-bound political climate in the state.

The ED, however, has maintained that the investigation is based on evidence and due process, and that further probe in the case is underway.

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