ED wants special agency for sharing data to expedite cases

ED today batted for creation of a National Coordination Agency in order to ensure sharing of information between various investigative and intelligence agencies in the country to help expedite inquiries.
ED Director Karnal Singh, who fielded criticism over delay in probes and low-conviction rate, said the "interventions" need to be kept in mind as the accused in various money laundering and foreign exchange cases are "very influential and powerful" and "approach courts at the drop of a hat" to obtain relief.
Addressing the annual 'Enforcement Day' conference here, he said the agency has attached assets worth Rs 2,000 crore in the year gone by and has initiated prosecution in 76 cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Similarly, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the agency has issued show cause notices worth Rs 7,826 crore after conducting final investigations during the same time period.
"All our accused are very influential and powerful people ... And at the drop of a hat they go to the courts. There are interventions on various issues, right from whether PMLA is legitimate or not. About the pending investigations and delay, we are trying our best," he said in response to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia's speech where he said that conviction in money laundering cases was "very very poor".
The Enforcement Directorate is probing some of the high profile cases including those against liquor baron Vijay Mallya, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the VVIP chopper deal and against NCP leader and former Maharashtra Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal and others.

Singh said most of the cases being probed by the agency were "very complex" in nature and investigators were working day and night to achieve results.

"I can assure that ED officers are dedicated to true, fair, impartial and carry out qualitative investigation," he said.
The ED boss also sought, in the presence of Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha and Adhia, creation of a National Coordination Agency in order to ensure sharing of information between various investigative and intelligence agencies in the country as he said, at present, it appears all such bodies are working in "silos".
He noted the fact that his organisation is facing a

"tremendous" shortage of manpower as it only has 697 staffers as compared to the sanctioned strength of 2,067.
Singh also indicated the agency was finding it tough to get timely "cadre clearances" for officers to quickly come on deputation to the central probe agency from central services like the IRS and IPS.
He said despite ED's hands being "full", the agency was working to expedite cases with the help of technology and digital tools.
The ED chief acknowledged the fact that a number of cases are pending in the agency dating back to 2000 but added that "targets" have been set in this regard and officers asked to achieve them in a time-bound manner.

Singh also urged the government to help in creating a structure for managing "productive" seized assets like mills and factories so that they do not remain idle and become trash.
"I am told the proposal is under active consideration of the government," he said.