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.
Great judgement by SC! I wish the next judgement on the question of need for arresting using PMLA should also be done soon by the SC. Finally law prevailed. The illegal misuse of power by ED, CBI on orders of the vindictive BJP leaders are curbed. For the last one a half year to two years the BJP leaders have made the lives of AAP leaders hell. In fact if BJP got majority on its own, they would have put all opposition leaders in jail. Thank God, BJP didn’t get majority and it seems their misrule is going to end soon.