Only 1 per cent conviction of politicians: Modi govt’s reply leaves ED red-faced

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is facing sharp criticism over its dismal conviction rate in cases against politicians, with official data revealing that only 1 per cent of such cases have resulted in convictions over the last decade.

The figures have strengthened allegations that the agency is being weaponised to target Opposition leaders rather than genuinely tackling financial crimes.

According to data presented by the finance ministry in Parliament, the ED registered 193 cases against politicians in the past 10 years. However, only two convictions have been secured, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness and impartiality of the agency’s investigations.

Minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha that 138 of these cases — approximately 71 per cent — were registered in the last five years, coinciding with the second term of the BJP-led Central government.

Reacting to the declaration, the Congress said "ED has become Narendra Modi's puppet".

"Today the ED is being politicised, it is being used against political opponents. There is political pressure on ED, hence its performance is negative," senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said.

Notably, both convictions were against politicians from Jharkhand. Former state minister Hari Narayan Rai was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5 lakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2017.

Another former minister, Anosh Ekka, received a seven-year sentence along with a Rs 2 crore fine in 2020. These cases were linked to a broader money-laundering probe involving former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda.

Despite the staggering number of cases filed, the lack of convictions suggests that many investigations may not be substantiated by strong evidence.

The Finance Ministry has stated that while the ED does not maintain state-wise data of cases based on party affiliation, it has compiled year-wise details of cases involving current and former MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other political figures. The data further shows that 32 cases were registered between April 2022 and March 2023 alone.

The stark disparity between the number of cases filed and actual convictions has prompted accusations that the ED is being misused for political purposes.

Legal experts and Opposition leaders argue that the high-profile nature of these cases, combined with the near-zero conviction rate, undermines public trust in the agency’s credibility.