It is said that the numbers do not lie and this is evident from the fact that during the UPA Era (2004-2014) the ED recovered Rs 4,156 crores while during the rule of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), ED recovered Rs 1,17, 568 crores. The ED made a recovery of over Rs 20,000 crore and this was done after they sold the confiscated property and returned the money that was due to the banks.
Click here to download the list of confirmed attached immovable property by ED.
ED Claims 96 percent conviction rate in cases registered under Prevention of Money Laundering Act
The Enforcement Directorate has brushed aside allegations that the probes that are launched by the agency are carried to settle political scores. In the data that was released by the Enforcement Directorate (as of January 2023), the Enforcement directorate had filed 25 cases, out of which 24 resulted in conviction and 45 accused were awarded punishment.
Meanwhile, the ED had filed chargesheets and trials were in progress in 1,142 cases. However, in certain cases the accused could not be convicted as they had moved to a higher court to seek reprieve.
ED Refutes Claims of Political Vendetta
It has been alleged that the ED is used by the ruling government to settle political scores. However, ED has refuted such claims and had mentioned that they have filed a total of 176 Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) against existing and ex MPs, MLAs and MLCs which is equivalent to 2.98 percent of the total 5,906 complaints that have been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Assets to the tune of assets to the tune of total Rs 1,15,350 crore attached
The ED has also stated that they had issued a total of 1,919 provisional attachment orders under the anti-money laundering law and they have attached assets worth Rs 1,15,350 crore. Meanwhile, the Adjudicating Authority of the PMLA has confirmed that 1632 attachment orders (holding assets worth Rs 71,290 crore) while 260 (with assets under attachment worth Rs 40,904 crore) were pending for confirmation.
