https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/only-about-11-of-ed-arrested-accused-convicted-in-money-laundering-cases-since-2014-finance-ministry-19845675.htm

The Finance Minister informed Parliament that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested 1,135 individuals between April 1, 2014, and December 31, 2025, in connection with money laundering cases. Of these, only 123 accused have been convicted, representing a conviction rate of approximately 10.8% of those arrested.

During the same period, the Enforcement Directorate initiated investigations in 6,508 cases through the recording of Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs).

The agency conducted 2,514 searches across the country and arrested 1,135 persons.

The government said the ED filed 1,876 prosecution complaints and 589 supplementary prosecution complaints before courts. Judgments on merits were delivered in 58 cases, of which 55 resulted in convictions.

In some cases, accused were acquitted or discharged due to acquittal or discharge in predicate offence cases or for other reasons, without adjudication of the ED case.

The data appear to support the FATF’s 2024 Mutual Evaluation Report, which noted that India recorded only 28 convictions in the past five years.

However, the FATF noted that the issue was largely due to court capacity constraints. The report revealed that the combination of legal challenges and an overburdened judiciary has played a pivotal role in limiting the effectiveness of the country’s efforts under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The FATF report had commended India’s legislative improvements but outlined critical steps to address its enforcement challenges. The first recommendation was a substantial increase in resources dedicated to the judicial system, particularly the hiring of more specialised prosecutors and judges to manage money laundering cases.

To ease the judicial backlog, the FATF also suggested setting up fast-track courts specifically for money laundering and financial crime cases. This would ensure that cases are prioritised and resolved more efficiently, helping to clear the overwhelming number of pending trials.