ED took action against 193 MPs-MLAs in 10 years, but could get punishment for only two

New Delhi. The Central government has told in Parliament that in the last ten years, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a total of 193 cases against sitting and former MPs, MLAs, Legislative Council members and political leaders. However, only two of these cases have been convicted. This information was given by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Choudhary in response to a question by Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim.

The minister said that the ED took this action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) from 2014 to 2024. Investigation of most of these 193 cases is still going on, but in only two cases the court sentenced the culprits. This has raised questions on the action of the ED and its effectiveness. Opposition parties have long alleged that the central government is using the ED to target political rivals.

MP AA Rahim has asked the following questions regarding the cases registered by the ED Asked:

– Number of cases registered against MPs, MLAs and members of local administration in the last 10 years, categorized by party, state and year.

– Year-wise data of convictions, acquittals and pending investigations.

– Details of the increasing number of cases being investigated against opposition leaders and the rationale for this trend.

– Reforms undertaken by the government to enhance transparency and effectiveness in ED investigations.

ED figures and findings
Minister of State Pankaj Chaudhary said that the cases registered against MPs, MLAs and leaders associated with local administration are not kept party and state-wise. However, he presented details of cases year-wise. The highest number of cases were registered between April 2022 and March 2023, when a total of 32 cases were registered. The minister further informed that out of the 193 cases registered in the last 10 years, only two cases have resulted in conviction, while no case has been acquitted so far.

What did the government say about the increasing cases against opposition leaders?
When asked about the increasing cases against opposition leaders in recent years and the justification for this trend, the minister replied that there is no data available in this regard. He also said that the ED initiates investigation only on the basis of solid evidence and proof and does not discriminate on political, religious or other grounds in any case. On the question of increasing transparency in the investigation processes of the ED, the government said that all actions of the ED are subject to judicial review, and this agency registers cases following the legal process.

Choudhary further said that the ED has registered a total of 5,297 cases in the last decade, out of which 4,467 cases were registered between 2019 and 2024. Of these, 40 cases resulted in conviction, while three were acquitted. However, the conviction rate in cases related to political leaders has been very low.

After this revelation, opposition leaders have attacked the government. They claim that ED action is being used to intimidate opponents and tarnish their image, while the results are negligible. On the other hand, the government says that ED is working independently and taking strict action against corruption.