2 convictions in 193 ED cases against politicians
The data also showed that there have been no acquittals, suggesting that the investigations are progressing. In some cases, it is likely that charge sheets have also not been filed.
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered 193 cases against politicians, including members of Parliament and MLAs, in last 10 years but secured a conviction in only two cases, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday, adding that the financial crimes probe agency takes up cases “based on credible material and not political affiliations, religion or otherwise.”
To be sure, the data also showed that there have been no acquittals, suggesting that the investigations are progressing. In some cases, it is likely that charge sheets have also not been filed.
ED didn’t officially comment on the issue, but a senior officer said, “Various cases in which politicians have been investigated are at different stages of trial.”
The data was shared by minister of state for finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
It shows that out of 193 cases against political leaders, 138 were registered in Narendra Modi government’s second term – between 2019-20 and 2023-24 while 42 were registered in the last four years of first term – between 2015-16 and 2018-19; 13 cases were taken up against MPs, MLAs and local administrators between April 2024 and February 28 .
Chaudhary provided the details in response to a question by A A Rahim, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP from Kerala.
The minister said the government has not maintained data of ED cases against MPs, MLAs and local administrators based on their party affiliation or states. Many opposition parties allege that federal investigation agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate are used by the Union government to target its political opponents.
When ED raided the residence of Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel last week he said, “The BJP always uses central agencies to all extent. As far as Chhattisgarh is concerned, the first raid was done in 2021 after the BJP lost in Jharkhand. In 2020, the first I-T raid was conducted. Now, raids are being conducted in Punjab too. We are not afraid of raids. I think among all the states, the maximum number of raids was conducted in Chhattisgarh. It is a small state, but the maximum raids were conducted here.”
Providing details of convictions and acquittals of politicians, Chaudhary replied that no acquittals have taken place between 2015-16 and February and that there have been two convictions – one each in 2016-17 and 2019-20.
He didn’t share details of specific cases in which convictions have taken place, but it is likely he was referring to the convictions of former Jharkhand ministers Hari Narayan Rai (February 2017) and Anosh Ekka (March 2020) in money laundering probe against former chief minister Madhu Koda.
According to the data accessed by HT independently, overall, 100 persons have been convicted under PMLA so far in 44 cases.
Asked by Rahim if there has been an increase in ED cases filed against opposition leaders in recent years, Chaudhary said “no such information is maintained”.
He asserted that ED is a premier law enforcement agency of India which has been entrusted with the administration and enforcement of prevention of money-laundering act (PMLA), foreign exchange management act, and fugitive economic offenders act (FEOA).
“ED takes up the cases for investigation based on credible evidence or material and does not distinguish cases based on political affiliations, religion or otherwise,” the minister said.
“Further, the actions of ED are always open to judicial review. The agency is accountable to different judicial forums viz. adjudicating authority, appellate tribunal, special courts, high court (s) and Supreme Court for the actions taken in the course of implementation of the PMLA, FEMA and FEOA”, he added.
PMLA was enacted in 2002 and implemented from July 1, 2005, to check serious crimes of tax evasion, generation of black money and money laundering.
The federal agency, according to data accessed by HT, has registered 7,403 PMLA cases till December 31, 2024, in which 911 persons have been arrested.
The agency has attached assets worth ₹1.45 lakh crore under the act so far, out of which ₹1.19 lakh crore has been done since the BJP under Narendra Modi came to power.
It has, till date, restituted proceeds of crime worth over ₹24,000 crore.
Some of the cases in which money has been given back to the banks or victims include PMLA case (s) against Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi and the cases involving frauds in Rose Valley chit fund and National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL) .
