ED Conducts Searches at Carewell Group Premises in Kolkata
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at five premises of the Carewell Group of companies in Kolkata, in connection with alleged financial irregularities and unlawful routing of funds linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) bank accounts.
The investigation revealed that approximately Rs 160 crore was transferred from TMC accounts to M/s Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd and its related entity between April 2023 and June 2026, according to ED sources.
Funds Routed to Purchase Aircraft and Helicopter
M/s Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd allegedly further routed Rs 82.96 crore between 2023 and 2026 to another newly incorporated related entity, ED sources said. A significant portion of the funds was reportedly used for the purchase of an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta 109 SP helicopter, costing Rs 112 crore in total.
The probe also found that some foreign funding was utilized for purchasing the Agusta helicopter, but most funds were allegedly sourced directly from TMC accounts.
Aircraft Leased Back to TMC
The Embraer Legacy 600 and the Agusta helicopter were reportedly leased back to the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), despite being purchased using funds from the TMC's corpus. Subsequently, substantial amounts were allegedly transferred on the pretext of aircraft usage.
"The entire arrangement appears highly doubtful and seems designed to camouflage the actual beneficial purpose of the transactions, which is presently under investigation," an ED official said.
