I-PAC makes quiet changes in Bengal ops after ED raids
A day after TMC called shutdown reports baseless, I-PAC quietly moved teams to work-from-home and barred staff from using official email channels
A day after the Trinamool Congress dismissed reports of I-PAC suspending operations in West Bengal as "completely baseless," the political consultancy has introduced a series of quiet operational changes.
According to reports, the internal communication issued late on April 18 directed several verticals to shift to a work-from-home model with immediate effect. Employees were also instructed to stop using official email IDs for any stakeholder communication. The firm allegedly cited "internal legal reasons" for the abrupt changes.
What triggered controversy
The controversy began after reports emerged that I-PAC, closely associated with TMC's election campaigns since 2021, had asked its West Bengal employees to halt work immediately and proceed on a 20-day leave. The reports followed Enforcement Directorate searches at the firm's Kolkata office and at the Loudon Street residence of its founder, Prateek Jain. The raids were in connection with a coal smuggling case.
Also Read: TMC denies report claiming I-PAC has stopped operations in West Bengal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Jain's residence during the raids, alleging that central agencies were attempting to seize confidential campaign documents. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court.
Arrest adds to the pressure
I-PAC co-founder and director Vinesh Chandel was subsequently arrested in Delhi and remains in ED custody. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee described the arrest as "not democracy, but intimidation," alleging that the timing, days before polling on April 23 and 29, was designed to cripple the opposition's campaign machinery.