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Friday, January 16, 2026
TopicEnforcement Directorate

Topic: Enforcement Directorate

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a central agency working directly under the Ministry of Finance, tasked with investigating and enforcing laws related to financial offenses. Its origin goes back to 1 May, 1956, when an Enforcement Unit was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947. The following year, this Unit was renamed as Enforcement Directorate.

The ED’s mandate encompasses investigating offenses under significant legislative frameworks such as the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Foreign Exchange Management Act of 1999 (FEMA), and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act of 2018 (FEOA). The agency investigates individuals and entities involved in financial wrongdoing. This may include tracing illicit funds, seizing assets acquired through illegal means, and prosecuting offenders to ensure accountability and deterrence.

Headquartered in New Delhi, the ED operates through a network of regional offices in Mumbai, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata.

Dinesh Nandwana’s death during ED raid shows somebody needs to watch the watchdogs

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IAS at 21, arrested for MNREGS fund embezzlement, now reinstated: the highs & lows of Pooja Singhal

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Jharkhand govt revoked suspension of Singhal, who will contribute to Dept of Personnel, Administrative Reforms & Raj Bhasa. Meanwhile, there's a palpable discomfort in Congress ranks.

Rs 1 lakh penalty on ED: What was the case & why Bombay HC wanted to send out a ‘strong message’

Mayank Kumar -
In strong words against the law enforcement agency, the bench said the ED's charge 'falls flat' and called its proceeds of crime theory in the case an 'enigma'.

Shocker in Supreme Court as ED lawyer calls agency’s Chhattisgarh liquor scam affidavit ‘fishy’

Bhadra Sinha -
When court re-heard case, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju stunned bench again, taking back what he said during earlier round of discussions and offered to rely on ED's affidavit.

Why SC pulled up Centre for ‘making submissions against law’ to deny bail to woman in PMLA case

Lavanya Yadav -
The top court's censure was directed at the ED in the case of Sashi Bala, after the agency contended that the stringent bail conditions under Section 45 of the Act applied to women.

Kawasi Lakhma made Rs 2 cr/month off ‘liquor scam’, ED says in litany of charges against ex-minister

Mayank Kumar -
ED alleges Lakhma played ‘integral part’ in liquor syndicate, ‘actively assisted’ in processes behind excise policy that is alleged to have caused loss of over Rs 2,000 cr to exchequer.

ED gets home ministry sanction to prosecute Kejriwal, Sisodia in Delhi excise policy case

ANI -
The former Delhi chief minister & his deputy are charged with being involved in money laundering linked to the alleged liquor scam.

With amassed assets worth Rs 500-700 cr, how ‘corrupt’ ex-RTO constable has sparked political row in MP

Mayank Kumar -
Saurabh Sharma is on the run, and facing criminal proceedings by the state’s Lokayukta, I-T dept & ED over charges of amassing assets hugely disproportionate to his legal income.

UNLF ‘extorted’ lakhs from BJP MLAs, gen secy as ‘donations’ to ‘fuel violence’ in Manipur—ED chargesheet

Ananya Bhardwaj -
ED says the insurgent outfit has been threatening many to cough up money. List of politicians who ‘donated’ also includes a Congress MLA. Two of them deny paying anything.

‘Shimla ED office a den of extortionists’: What complainants against ED officers facing CBI probe say

Mayank Kumar -
An ED assistant director, who is absconding, & 2 enforcement officers allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 25 cr from 4 businessmen, accused in another case. CBI lodged 2 FIRs Sunday.
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