New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its annual report for 2025-26, has reported a sharp rise in the value of assets frozen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), even as the number of arrests declined compared with previous years.
According to the report, the ED made 156 arrests in 2025-26, down from 214 in 2024-25 and 272 in 2023-24—an overall fall of 27% from the previous financial year. A private news agency, citing its review of the report, said the decline was attributed to more precise, evidence-based investigations.
At the same time, enforcement activity expanded in other areas. The number of searches conducted nationwide rose from 1,491 to 2,892, nearly doubling. The value of attached or frozen assets reached Rs 81,422 crore, up 171% from Rs 30,036 crore in the previous year.
The report also highlighted higher recoveries for those affected by financial fraud. Against a target of Rs 15,000 crore at the start of the year, the ED said Rs 32,678 crore was handed back to victims, including Rs 15,582 crore in the PACL case alone.
It further noted that increased use of technology and digital data in investigations has reduced the average duration of a case from about four years to around 1.5 years.
