The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said that more than 1,700 cases related to money laundering are still being tried in courts. ED Director Rahul Navin shared this update on Thursday during an event held to mark Enforcement Directorate Day. He explained that the main reason for the slow progress is the overall delay in the country’s justice system.

Even though many cases are still ongoing, the ED says it has a very high success rate. “The conviction rate of the Enforcement Directorate cases was 93.6 per cent,” Mr. Navin said. Out of 47 cases that have been decided so far, the courts have given convictions in 44 cases. Only three people have been found not guilty.

Mr. Navin said the ED is aware that some cases are still being investigated and not yet in court. “We candidly acknowledge pending investigation in PMLA cases,” he said. He promised that the agency will try its best to complete investigations quickly and file charge sheets on time.

To make their work faster and more accurate, the ED plans to use new technology and forensic tools.

69 years of the Enforcement Directorate

The ED was created on May 1, 1956. That means the agency has now completed 69 years. It handles major financial crime cases and works under two main laws:

  • The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)
  • The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA)

It also looks after the rules of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which is not a criminal law but deals with foreign money and trade.