Jobaaj Stories
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Narendra Modi-led government for allegedly misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target opposition leaders before elections. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that the ED has turned into a "frontal organisation" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
She said, “As elections approach, PM Modi uses the ED to intimidate opposition leaders,” sharing her views in a post on social media platform X.
Only 2 Convictions Out of 193 Cases in 10 Years
The criticism comes after the government shared data in Parliament revealing that the ED has filed 193 cases against politicians in the last 10 years but achieved only two convictions. These cases were registered against current and former MPs, MLAs, and individuals linked to political parties.
Congress called this data proof of its long-standing accusation that the central government uses ED actions as a political weapon rather than for genuine investigation.
Details Shared by the Finance Ministry
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha query, confirmed that 193 cases have been filed between April 2015 and February 2025. However, he also noted that the government does not maintain state-wise data for these cases.
Both Convictions from Jharkhand
Interestingly, both convictions out of these 193 cases are from Jharkhand.
- In 2017, former Jharkhand minister Hari Narayan Rai was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and fined ₹5 lakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
- In 2020, another ex-minister from Jharkhand, Anosh Ekka, was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined ₹2 crore under the same law.
Opposition Criticizes ED’s Credibility
The Congress party has raised concerns about the ED’s credibility, questioning whether it is genuinely fighting corruption or acting as a political tool for the ruling party. The pattern of ED summons increasing before elections has sparked heated debates between the BJP and opposition leaders, who are calling for greater accountability and transparency in the agency's actions.
The data presented in Parliament has added fuel to the ongoing political battle, with the opposition questioning the efficiency and fairness of the ED. As India moves toward more state and national elections, the use of central agencies in political rivalries will likely remain a hot topic of debate.
