ED, which also looks at foreign exchange law violations, continued on took up 11,420 of these cases in the last three years as compared to 13,473 in the previous seven, according to data provided in the Lok Sabha by Union minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary.
The agency recently sent a detailed proposal for its cadre restructuring, seeking to treble its workforce from the current 2,100 officers to 6,000, to the department of revenue (DoR) under the Union ministry of finance, the people added, asking not to be identified. The actual strength of ED is currently around 1,700, which includes all ranks at the top as well as assistant directors, enforcement officers, clerks, sepoys, multi-tasking staff, and stenographers.
ED has also sought to open a zonal office in every state capital; and two in some big states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. It currently operates through 21 zonal and 18 subzonal offices across five regions West, East, Central, South and North, apart from specialized Headquarters Investigation Units (HIUS) and Special Task Forces (STF).
The finance ministry and DOR, under which ED works, did not respond to an email query, but officials confirmed that the agency's proposal was under consideration.
ED's proposal comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court, in July reiterating its wide powers sanctioned under the 2002 Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Ratifying the agency's powers to summon individuals, make arrests, conduct raids, and attach properties, the top court justified its special powers to tackle the "heinous" offence of money laundering.
This story is from the November 29, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.
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This story is from the November 29, 2022 edition of Hindustan Times.
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