The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches in Kolkata on Tuesday to investigate the purchase of an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta 109 SP helicopter by Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd, which allegedly received Rs 160 crore from the TMC party’s accounts, according to sources. The aviation company, incorporated in September 2021 after TMC’s third-term victory in Bengal with 215 seats, is accused of routing funds through its accounts to acquire the assets, which were later rented back to TMC, sources said.
Searches were carried out at five locations in Kolkata linked to Carewell Aviation and its related entities, focusing on alleged financial misconduct, including “unlawful collection of money” and “routing of suspected funds through TMC bank accounts,” according to officials. A senior ED official stated that approximately Rs 160 crore was transferred from TMC accounts to Carewell Aviation and its related entities between April 2023 and June 2026, with Rs 82.9 crore further directed to a newly formed entity during the same period.
What Happened?
The investigation centers on Carewell Aviation’s alleged acquisition of the Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and Agusta 109 SP helicopter for Rs 112 crore. Sources indicated that the company used funds from TMC accounts to purchase these assets, which were then rented to TMC. The ED is also examining the “foreign funding” used for the helicopter, though most of the money is said to have originated directly from TMC accounts. A source noted that the aircraft and helicopter were “rented out to TMC itself, even though they were purchased allegedly from the corpus of TMC.”
Why It Matters
The timing of Carewell Aviation’s incorporation in September 2021—immediately after TMC’s third-term win in Bengal—raises questions about the company’s ties to the ruling party.
What May Happen Next?
However, without further revelations, the investigation’s scope and outcome remain uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd? A Kolkata-based aviation company incorporated in September 2021, accused of receiving Rs 160 crore from TMC accounts to purchase an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft and an Agusta 109 SP helicopter.
Why are the ED’s searches significant? The searches target alleged financial misconduct, including the routing of funds from TMC accounts to Carewell Aviation and its related entities, which may involve misuse of party resources.
What is the role of the TMC in this case? The TMC is implicated through its alleged transfer of funds to Carewell Aviation, which used the money to acquire assets later rented back to the party, according to sources.
Could this case prompt broader regulatory reviews of party-linked financial activities in West Bengal?
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