Only 2 Convictions in 193 ED Cases Against Politicians in 10 Years
NEW DELHI: In a revealing disclosure to Parliament, the Union government reported that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a total of 193 cases against political leaders over the past decade. Alarmingly, only two of these cases have resulted in convictions, with no acquittals on merits.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary provided this information in response to inquiries from CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim, who sought a detailed breakdown of ED cases against MPs, MLAs, and local administration members, categorized by party, state, and year.
Yearly Breakdown of ED Cases
Although the minister noted that comprehensive data on party-wise or state-wise breakdowns was not maintained, a year-wise table was shared. Notably, the highest number of cases—32—were recorded between April 2022 and March 2023. This was followed by 27 cases during the April 2020 to March 2021 period, and again between April 2023 and March 2024. Additionally, 26 cases were filed in both 2019-2020 and 2021-2022.
Trends in ED Cases Against Opposition Leaders
When questioned about a potential increase in ED cases targeting opposition leaders, Chaudhary stated that such information was not maintained. Nevertheless, the data shows a noticeable rise in cases from 2019 to 2024, peaking in the 2022-23 period.
The ED’s Focus and Supreme Court Remarks
The Enforcement Directorate is tasked with enforcing several critical acts, including the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). The Supreme Court has previously commented on the low conviction rates in money laundering cases, highlighting a stark need for quality prosecution. In a past hearing, the Court expressed concern over the poor conviction rate, questioning the longevity of undertrial detentions.
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