I-Pac Director gets bail day after poll ends; ED didn't oppose plea

The Patiala House Court has granted bail to Vinesh Chandel, the co-founder and director of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), in a money laundering case linked to alleged coal theft. The decision came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chose not to oppose Chandel’s bail application during the proceedings. This follows a previous hearing where the court had issued a notice to the federal agency seeking its official response on the matter.

Previously, the court had taken a stricter stance regarding Chandel's custody. On April 28, his request for interim bail—sought on the grounds of his mother’s critical illness—was rejected. At that time, the court refused to provide relief, maintaining his detention despite the personal emergency cited by the defense.

Chandel's legal journey in this case began with his arrest by the ED, followed by a 10-day period in their custody starting April 14 after a late-night court hearing. On April 23, Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Rana transitioned him to 14-day judicial custody. He was originally scheduled to remain in judicial custody until May 7 before this recent bail order was issued.