ED unable to file prosecution complaints in 77% of PMLA cases

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has not been able to file prosecution complaints in about 77 per cent of the cases it took up under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2022, during the period between January, 1, 2015 to June 6, 2025, statistics shared by the Finance Ministry in the Rajya Sabha revealed on Tuesday (July 29).

1398 Prosecution Complaints filed

The Minister of State (MoS), Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply, stated that 1398 Prosecution Complaints (PCs,) including 353 Supplementary PCs, have been filed before the respective Special Courts under PMLA, 2002.

"During the period from 01.01.2015 to 30.06.2025, the Directorate of Enforcement has taken up 5892 cases for investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA)," stated Chaudhary

“In these cases, 1398 Prosecution Complaints (PCs), including 353 Supplementary PCs, have been filed before the respective Special Courts under PMLA, 2002. Out of which, so far, the Special Courts have framed charges in 300 Prosecution Complaints, including 66 Supplementary PCs. As on 30.06.2025, the PMLA Special Courts have convicted 15 persons in 08 conviction orders in these cases,” he added.

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Closure reports in 49 cases

He further stated that the ED over the last 10-and-a-half years has filed closure reports in 49 cases before special courts meant to try anti-money laundering crimes.

The MoS stated that the Central agency had secured eight conviction orders involving 15 people from the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) courts between 2015 to June 2025.

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Question on charge sheets in PMLA cases

The MoS shared the statistics in response to questions regarding all cases lodged by the ED since 2015, where charge sheets have not yet been filed in courts, the trial of the accused has not started, and prosecution has been closed by the federal probe agency.

According to the scheme of PMLA, money laundering cases are only registered after taking cognisance of a predicate offence or primary case booked under various sections of the IPC or BNS and other laws.

The courts have held that if the primary case falls before a court of law, the PMLA case will automatically go away.