The Union government on Monday informed Lok Sabha that the Enforcement Directorate has registered 6,312 cases under the Prevention of Money-laundering Act (PMLA) in the last eleven years, but only 120 convictions have been secured during this entire period, underlining concerns over the pace and effectiveness of prosecution in high-profile financial crime cases.
Responding to Unstarred Question No. 75, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed the House that the statistical details cover the period from June 1, 2014 to October 31, 2025, reflecting a steep rise in investigations in recent years, accompanied by comparatively slow judicial outcomes.
Sharp Rise in ED Cases After 2019
According to the data tabled by the government, the number of cases registered by the ED rose dramatically after 2019:
- In 2014–15, only 179 cases were registered.
- By 2018–19, the annual count stood at 152 cases.
- In a sharp escalation, the number surged to 557 in 2019–20.
- Investigations peaked during 2021–22 with 1,116 cases.
- In the current financial period from April to October 2025 alone, the agency has already filed 426 new cases.
The total number of Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) registered during the eleven-year period stands at 6,312.
Prosecution Complaints and Convictions
While the ED has been proactive in registering cases, the number of convictions remains disproportionately low. The government disclosed that:
- The agency has filed 1,805 main prosecution complaints (PCs) and
- 568 supplementary prosecution complaints during the period.
- However, convictions by Special PMLA Courts number only 120.
A year-wise breakdown reveals that:
- No convictions were recorded at all until FY 2016–17.
- Between 2016–17 and 2019–20, only 19 convictions were secured.
- Convictions began picking up post-2021, with:
- 24 convicts in 2022–23,
- 19 in 2023–24, and
- 38 in 2024–25 — the highest annual figure recorded so far.
For the current year (April–October 2025), 15 convictions have been recorded.
Despite the upward trend, legal experts say the figures highlight a large gap between case registration and successful prosecution, raising questions about investigation quality, documentation, and court delays.
Closure Reports: 93 Cases Closed Post-2019
The government also clarified the legal framework governing case closures. It stated that after amendments to the PMLA in 2019, the ED is required by law to file a Closure Report in court if no offence of money laundering is made out.
Since the amendment:
- The ED has filed 93 closure reports before Special PMLA Courts.
- The reasons for closure include:
- Closure or acquittal in the underlying “scheduled offence”,
- Quashing of predicate offences by courts,
- Failure to establish proceeds of crime.
Prior to this amendment, ED was permitted to internally close investigations after obtaining internal approvals. Between 2005 and July 2019, a total of 1,185 cases were administratively closed by the agency.
Political Heat Over PMLA Enforcement
The figures are likely to add fuel to the political debate over alleged misuse of the PMLA against opposition leaders and business persons. Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the Centre of selectively using the ED to target political rivals, while the government maintains that the agency is acting strictly under law against economic offenders.
Senior advocates and former judges have also cautioned that a low conviction rate could weaken public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of financial crime enforcement.
Government Defends ED’s Work
The Finance Ministry has defended the agency’s performance, arguing that money laundering cases are complex, cross-border, and heavily document-driven, requiring prolonged investigation and judicial scrutiny. Officials also stress that many cases are pending trial and that conviction numbers may rise in the coming years.
Nonetheless, with more than 6,000 cases initiated but just 120 convictions delivered, the disclosure brings renewed focus to the balance between investigative expansion and judicial outcomes in India’s financial crime regime.
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