An Agusta 109 SP helicopter purchase has emerged at the centre of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) latest money laundering probe involving the Trinamool Congress, with investigators alleging that party
funds were routed through an aviation company before being used to acquire high-value aircraft.
The ED on Monday conducted searches at five locations linked to the aviation company as part of its investigation into alleged “dishonest” financial dealings, unlawful collection of money and the routing of suspected funds through Trinamool-linked bank accounts.
According to sources in the directorate, nearly Rs 160 crore was transferred from the party’s official accounts to the aviation company and its related entities between April 2023 and June 2026. Directorate sources further added that Rs 82.96 crore was subsequently layered through another newly incorporated related company.
The probe has now focused on the purchase of an Agusta 109 SP helicopter and an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet, with investigators claiming that nearly Rs 112 crore from this financial trail was used to acquire the two aviation assets.
According to the ED’s findings so far, the Agusta 109 SP helicopter and the Embraer Legacy 600 were subsequently leased back to Trinamool itself. The directorate now suspects that assets allegedly acquired using funds sourced from the party’s accounts were later rented to the same party, resulting in further payments being made under the pretext of aircraft usage.
ED investigators believe the arrangement may have been structured to camouflage the true purpose of the transactions while creating multiple financial layers.
Sources in the directorate further added that while a portion of the funding for the Agusta helicopter originated from foreign sources, the bulk of the money used for the purchases came directly from party-linked accounts. The ED is examining the source and end-use of these funds.
The money trail, however, did not end with the purchases, sources added.
Officials are examining whether the movement of funds amounted to a deliberate attempt to conceal the actual flow and ownership of the money, and whether any money laundering was involved. Searches are continuing across five locations as investigators scrutinise banking records, company documents and digital evidence to reconstruct the financial trail.
