ED Attaches ₹32,500 Crore in 9 Months as Asset Seizures Surge Sharply Across India

The agency’s latest enforcement drive includes its largest action this year against businesses linked to Anil Ambani, with assets worth about ₹5,600 crore attached. Other major cases involve ₹4,190 crore linked to a cryptocurrency fraud probe, ₹3,436 crore in a suspected Ponzi scheme tied to Pearl Group entities, and about ₹1,000 crore related to United Real Estate. Attachments span bank deposits, shares, vehicles, luxury assets, corporate holdings, and investment portfolios.

Officials say the rise reflects intensified investigations and wider use of powers under anti-money-laundering laws during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Over the past 12 years, the number of cases registered by the agency has increased more than sevenfold, while the total value of attached assets has grown twelve times, according to compiled enforcement data.

So far, the agency has attached assets worth about ₹1.55 lakh crore overall—an amount roughly equivalent to the annual budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Of this, courts have upheld attachments worth more than ₹1.06 lakh crore after judicial review. However, in 30 cases, courts ordered the release of assets exceeding ₹15,000 crore, highlighting the legal scrutiny that accompanies such enforcement.

Investigators cite prolonged court proceedings as a major operational challenge. Once assets are provisionally attached after an initial probe, they remain frozen until adjudication concludes, which can take years. Officials argue that delays reduce the immediate deterrent effect of seizures, even when courts eventually confirm them.

Historical data illustrates the scale of change. In 2012–13, the agency attached ₹2,347 crore across 62 cases, and courts validated only ₹325 crore of those seizures. The latest figures show both enforcement activity and judicial confirmations rising sharply, suggesting broader investigations and more detailed financial tracking.

Analysts say the trend signals a more aggressive stance toward financial crime but stress that the long-term impact will depend on conviction rates and final asset confiscations. With multiple high-value probes underway, enforcement actions are expected to remain elevated in the coming year.