Thu Mar 20 11:03:12 UTC 2025: ## ED’s Low Conviction Rate in Politician Cases Fuels Opposition Criticism
**New Delhi** – The Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s conviction rate in cases against politicians stands at a mere one percent over the past decade, the Ministry of Finance revealed in Parliament on Wednesday. This revelation comes as the ED simultaneously questioned RJD chief Lalu Yadav in Patna.
According to Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, the ED registered 193 cases against politicians in the last ten years, resulting in only two convictions. Both convictions involved former Jharkhand ministers, Hari Narayan Rai and Anosh Ekka, sentenced in connection with a money laundering case against former Chief Minister Madhu Koda. Significantly, 138 of these cases (71%) were registered since 2019, after the BJP’s second term in power.
The low conviction rate has provided ammunition for opposition parties, who have long accused the government of using investigative agencies for political purposes. The Congress, for instance, accused the BJP of using the ED to intimidate political opponents and turning the agency into a party “front,” citing the timing of summons issued to opposition leaders, especially before elections.
The Ministry countered these allegations, stating that the ED initiates investigations based on credible evidence and not political affiliations. It also highlighted the agency’s accountability to various judicial bodies, including the Supreme Court.
In an internal move to address concerns, particularly following Supreme Court observations, the ED has reportedly revised its approach, instructing officers to include Prevention of Money Laundering Act offences related to conspiracy, in addition to criminal conspiracy, when registering high-profile cases. This change, approved by ED Director Rahul Navin last year, aims to improve the agency’s success rate in securing convictions.
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