<p>New Delhi: Against the backdrop of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carrying out searches at locations linked to the political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which is doing political consultancy for Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal, DH has exclusively learn that I-PAC has decided to pause operations in the poll-bound state.</p> <p>Earlier this month, the central investigative agency conducted searches in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi in connection with an alleged coal smuggling and pilferage case in West Bengal. Premises linked to I-PAC co-founder and director Rishi Raj Singh were among those covered.</p> <p>And earlier this week, the agency arrested Vinesh Chandel, a director and co-founder of I-PAC, in connection with the case.</p> .ED raids I-PAC executives, others in West Bengal coal 'scam' case. <p>DH has learnt that the team in West Bengal has been informed by the HR department that they should avail a 20-day leave, and that they will review the situation by May 11. Polling in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and 29 in two phases, and the results will be announced on May 4.</p> <p>In January, Chief Minister Banerjee had sparred with the BJP over an ED raid at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain’s Kolkata house. When the raid was underway, Banerjee had visited the residence and emerged with a folder and a laptop, saying it contained information about her party. Along with Rishi and Vinesh, Pratik is a director in the consultancy. </p> <p>Founded by consultant-turned-politician Prashant Kishor in 2013, I-PAC shot to fame when Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. They ran campaigns like “Chai Pe Charcha”, “Run for Unity” etc. Over the years, I-PAC’s political clients ranged from Arvind Kejriwal’s campaigns for Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Punjab, Congress in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and Mamata Banerjee in Bengal. </p> <p>n the last few years, Kishor has walked away from the consultancy to start his own political party, Jan Suraaj. I-PAC is currently working for Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, MK Stalin’s DMK, and has started working with Samajwadi Party for Akhilesh Yadav recently.</p>
<p>New Delhi: Against the backdrop of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carrying out searches at locations linked to the political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which is doing political consultancy for Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal, DH has exclusively learn that I-PAC has decided to pause operations in the poll-bound state.</p> <p>Earlier this month, the central investigative agency conducted searches in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Delhi in connection with an alleged coal smuggling and pilferage case in West Bengal. Premises linked to I-PAC co-founder and director Rishi Raj Singh were among those covered.</p> <p>And earlier this week, the agency arrested Vinesh Chandel, a director and co-founder of I-PAC, in connection with the case.</p> .ED raids I-PAC executives, others in West Bengal coal 'scam' case. <p>DH has learnt that the team in West Bengal has been informed by the HR department that they should avail a 20-day leave, and that they will review the situation by May 11. Polling in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and 29 in two phases, and the results will be announced on May 4.</p> <p>In January, Chief Minister Banerjee had sparred with the BJP over an ED raid at I-PAC chief Pratik Jain’s Kolkata house. When the raid was underway, Banerjee had visited the residence and emerged with a folder and a laptop, saying it contained information about her party. Along with Rishi and Vinesh, Pratik is a director in the consultancy. </p> <p>Founded by consultant-turned-politician Prashant Kishor in 2013, I-PAC shot to fame when Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. They ran campaigns like “Chai Pe Charcha”, “Run for Unity” etc. Over the years, I-PAC’s political clients ranged from Arvind Kejriwal’s campaigns for Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and Punjab, Congress in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, and Mamata Banerjee in Bengal. </p> <p>n the last few years, Kishor has walked away from the consultancy to start his own political party, Jan Suraaj. I-PAC is currently working for Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, MK Stalin’s DMK, and has started working with Samajwadi Party for Akhilesh Yadav recently.</p>