NEW DELHI: ED Director Rahul Navin stated on Friday that financial crimes such as bank fraud, corporate scams, and real estate cheating have significantly decreased, thanks to the “sustained” efforts of investigative agencies along with key government initiatives.
During the 70th ‘ED Day’ event, Navin indicated that the current crime landscape primarily consists of cryptocurrency fraud, cyber-enabled financial crimes, terrorism financing, anti-national activities, and narcotics trafficking.
He emphasized that these areas have become the agency’s “priority” focus.
Navin mentioned that the ED filed a higher number of charge sheets in the last financial year (2025-26) and intensified investigations into “complex” money laundering cases due to a “deliberate and intelligence-driven approach.”
“A few years back, our enforcement efforts largely revolved around bank frauds, major corporate scams, and real estate frauds,” he said.
“Continuous actions by investigative agencies, along with landmark government measures like the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act, have led to a palpable decline in these crimes.”
He remarked that today’s criminal landscape is increasingly influenced by cryptocurrency fraud and cyber-enabled financial crimes.
Navin described money laundering investigations as “among the most complex,” noting that they often encompass various jurisdictions, intricate cross-border dealings, and advanced technology demands.
The ED chief highlighted that the agency has prioritized investigations related to narcotics. He pointed out the agency’s prompt action in the November 2025 Red Fort blast case as a “testament” to its heightened alertness on the money laundering aspects of terrorism and espionage.
In this context, the ED arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman of Al Falah University in Faridabad, last year and filed a chargesheet against him and others amid allegations of cheating students through false accreditation.
Navin stated that the ED submitted 812 charge sheets (also called prosecution complaints) including 155 supplementary sheets under the anti-money laundering law in the last fiscal year, which is almost double compared to the previous year.
Moreover, he mentioned that over 41% of all charge sheets filed since the inception of the PMLA in 2005 were recorded in the past two years alone.
The director also reported a 94% conviction rate for the agency and expressed confidence that the majority of the 2,400 cases currently pending before trial courts would result in convictions and confiscation of illegally acquired assets.
“Legal hurdles exist, particularly regarding whether trials for money laundering should proceed independently or wait for the resolution of the underlying offenses, as per international standards and FATF guidelines,” he remarked, noting that this issue is under Supreme Court review.
Navin also spoke on the agency’s efforts to enhance transparency and accountability, highlighting a comprehensive revamp of the investigative framework, which includes the establishment of Risk Assessment Management Committee (RAMC) mechanisms.
He announced that all actions by junior officers would be subject to adequate supervisory reviews, and a QR-based system for verifying summons is now in place within the agency.
Previously, some ED officials were found involved in bribery cases, while fake summons were issued in certain ‘digital arrest’ instances.
During the last fiscal year, the ED attached assets worth Rs 81,422 crore, representing a 170% increase compared to the previous year. In total, provisional attachments aimed at preventing the accused from benefiting from illicitly earned assets amount to Rs 2,36,017 crore.
The PMLA was enacted in 2002 and implemented in 2005. Navin noted that the agency also utilizes provisions in the PMLA to restore assets to the victims of financial crimes, with properties worth Rs 63,142 crore returned to rightful owners like banks and investors.
“Each of these figures reflects a family or institution that once lost hope of recovering their rightful assets,” he stated.
He expressed that India’s role in global anti-money laundering efforts and combating terrorist financing has significantly improved, highlighting the country’s increasing “authority” and “credibility.”
Furthermore, Navin mentioned that cases under the criminal provisions of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), abolished about 25 years ago when the civil Foreign Exchange Management Act came into effect, will be resolved in the coming months.
“Financial crime will continue to evolve as criminals exploit new technologies and vulnerabilities,” he cautioned. “We will continue to adapt, innovate, and collaborate with national and international counterparts to stay ahead.”
The federal probe agency, established on May 1, 1956, enforces two criminal laws: The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), in addition to the civil provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
