KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that a sum of ₹20 crore was routed from Kolkata to the Goa office of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) through a complex hawala network. The agency made this claim in a petition filed before the Calcutta High Court as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged coal smuggling syndicate.

The ED's investigation stems from a 2020 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to the ED, digital evidence seized by the Income-Tax Department revealed that proceeds of crime amounting to ₹2,742.32 crore were generated between December 2017 and October 2020. The ED claims these payments were made in cash and collected at a central location.

The agency alleges that a portion of these funds, approximately ₹20 crore, was transferred from Kolkata to Goa through a hawala network to support I-PAC's operations during the Goa assembly elections in 2021-22. The ED claims that this money was moved through a "complex hawala network".

According to the ED, the money trail involves several individuals and firms. The ED claims that the money trail began with Jitender Mehta, a financier and former director of Akasa Finance Limited, then moved through Mukesh Thakkar, also known as Munna, to Mukesh Patel of Rajesh Maganlal firm, and finally to Alpesh Patel, the manager of R. Kantilal. In Goa, the funds were allegedly handled by Sagar Kumar Patel and delivered to Akshay Kumar, an employee of Hertz and Pixelz and ASM Event Technology Private Limited.

The ED's investigation has focused on a coal smuggling syndicate allegedly led by Anup Majee, also known as Lala. The syndicate is accused of illegally excavating and selling coal from the leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL). The ED alleges that the coal was sold to factories across Bankura, Bardhaman, and Purulia districts, and the cash generated was funneled to a central collection point.

On January 8, the ED conducted searches at ten locations in New Delhi and Kolkata. One of the locations searched was the Kolkata residence of Pratik Jain, I-PAC's co-founder and director, who the ED claims was handling the consultancy's Goa operations at the time of the alleged transfer.

The case has sparked a political controversy, with the ED seeking a CBI probe against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Trinamool Congress has filed a counter-plea seeking the return of items allegedly seized by the ED.