Wed Mar 19 14:42:16 UTC 2025: ## ED Convicts Two Politicians Out of 193 Cases Filed in 10 Years

**New Delhi, March 19, 2025** – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed 193 cases against politicians, including current and former MPs and MLAs, over the past decade, resulting in only two convictions, according to a statement by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary.

The revelation came in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question on Tuesday. While Chaudhary stated that the ED doesn’t maintain state-wise data, the agency filed the most cases (32) against legislators during the 2022-23 fiscal year. The two convictions, one in 2016-17 and another in 2019-20, were not detailed by the minister.

However, public records show that former Jharkhand ministers Hari Narayan Rai and Anosh Ekka received seven-year prison sentences and substantial fines under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2017 and 2020, respectively. Both were implicated in a money-laundering investigation involving former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda. It remains unclear whether they have appealed their sentences.

Chaudhary emphasized that the ED investigates financial crimes based on credible evidence and doesn’t discriminate based on political affiliation or religion. He added that the agency’s actions are subject to judicial review through various courts and tribunals. The ED utilizes the PMLA, Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in its investigations.

Read More