The Central government has approved a significant increase in manpower for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), giving the agency a boost of more than 60 per cent in staffing. The decision comes as the ED handles a growing number of cases linked to money laundering, economic offences and financial fraud across the country.
Officials said the additional manpower will include officers, investigators and support staff across different levels. The expansion is expected to improve the agency’s ability to manage complex investigations and speed up pending cases.
The Enforcement Directorate is responsible for probing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). In recent years, the agency has been involved in several high-profile investigations connected to politicians, business groups and financial irregularities.
Government sources said the increase in staff is necessary because the workload on the agency has risen sharply over the years. With more cases involving digital transactions, international money trails and cyber-linked financial crimes, officials believe the ED needs stronger resources and better field support.
The new approvals are also expected to strengthen the agency’s regional offices and investigation units across multiple states. Authorities said the manpower expansion would help improve coordination, faster evidence collection and smoother handling of financial crime cases.
The move comes during the government’s broader push to tighten action against corruption, illegal financial activities and cross-border money laundering networks. Officials maintain that stronger enforcement agencies are important for maintaining financial discipline and economic security.
At the same time, the ED has often faced criticism from opposition parties, which have accused the agency of targeting political rivals. The government, however, has repeatedly defended the agency’s work, saying investigations are conducted according to law.
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