New Delhi [India], December 11 : Congress Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Surjewala on Wednesday accused the BJP-led Central government of misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and conducting a “massive witch-hunt” against opposition figures. Surjewala’s claim came after a parliamentary response to his question revealed concerning facts about ED’s operations.
“Misuse of #ED & PMLA cases and the massive witch-hunt stands Exposed!” Surjewala posted on X, highlighting three key revelations from the response.
According to Surjewala, the answer showed that over the past five years, the ED’s conviction rate has remained under five percent. Out of 911 cases filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), only 42 (4.6%) resulted in convictions.
The Congress MP further pointed out that only 257 cases (28%) reached the trial stage, while 654 cases (71.7%) remained pending for over five years, which he described as a clear indication of “blatant witch-hunting.”
Surjewala also compared the number of cases filed under the NDA government to those filed under the UPA. In the last five years, 911 cases were filed, whereas only 102 cases were filed in the entire 10 years of the UPA government, suggesting what he called the “wholesale misuse” of the ED.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day amid a stand-off between the Opposition and the treasury benches, with the House set to reconvene on December 12.
In a related development, Rajya Sabha Leader JP Nadda on Sunday called for a discussion in the House regarding the alleged links between Congress leadership and US billionaire George Soros. Nadda claimed that these connections posed a threat to India’s sovereignty and security, alleging that the Congress was becoming a tool for external forces. He criticized the opposition’s claims against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, suggesting they were a distraction from more pressing issues.
The winter session of Parliament, which began on November 25, has been frequently disrupted and is scheduled to conclude on December 20.