ED's Money Laundering Crackdown: Record Asset Attachments Amid Decline in Arrests

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) achieved a record-high value in attached assets, over ₹81,000 crore, while arrests decreased by about 27% in FY 2025-26. The ED improved investigative strategies, restored ₹32,678 crore in assets to fraud victims, and handled increased cross-border assistance requests in money laundering cases.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has set a new record with an all-time high in attached assets, valuing over ₹81,000 crore for FY 2025-26, despite a significant decrease in arrests by 27% compared to the previous year. Official data reveals an intensification in the agency's operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), evidenced by nearly doubling its raids to 2,892. This uptick highlights ED’s strategic shift to more targeted, evidence-based investigations.

According to its annual report, the ED restored over ₹32,000 crore in assets to fraud victims, massively surpassing its initial target of ₹15,000 crore. The report attributed this success to significant gains in high-profile cases, such as the PACL ponzi scheme yielding ₹15,582 crore in restituted assets. The ED achieves this under its wide-ranging authority in asset attachment, a central tool for debilitating crime proceeds.

The agency also reports increased international collaboration, with pending legal requests such as Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) reaching 353 as of March 2026. The UK tops the list with 79 such requests. This cooperation underscores the transnational nature of financial crimes and the global efforts required to combat them effectively.