6.42% Conviction Rate In Cases Filed By ED Since 2019 : Union Government Tells Parliament

The Union Government has informed the Parliament that out of 911 prosecution complaints filed in cases registered by the Enforcement Directorate (“ED”) for offence of Money Laundering during the last five years between 01.01.2019 to 31.10.2024, trials were completed in 654 cases and it was able to secure a conviction in 42 cases. i.e., 6.42% conviction rate.

The Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Pankaj Chaudhary replied to the question asked by the Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala.

The Minister also informed the house that out of 911 cases registered by ED in the last five years, 257 cases (28%) were pending trial.

“Out of the 911 Prosecution Complaints which have been filed, as on date, trial is pending in 257 cases. Conviction has been secured in 42 cases for offence of money-laundering wherein 99 accused have been sentenced and proceeds of crime have been confiscated.”, the Minister said.

It is worthwhile to mention that the Supreme Court recently highlighted the poor conviction rates in PMLA cases, where it also asked the ED to focus on improving the quality of prosecution.

A few days back, the bench led by Justice Surya Kant while hearing the bail petition of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in a money laundering case, flagged the low conviction rates in the cases prosecuted by the Enforcement Directorate.

Click here to read the Minister's Reply

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