Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR)

Enforcement Case Information Report Latest News

The Enforcement Directorate recently informed the Kerala High Court that 18 ECIRs (Enforcement case information reports) have been registered against cooperative banks/societies in Kerala to investigate money laundering in connection with financial irregularities. 

About Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR)

• The ECIR is a formal entry of the complaint lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
• It serves as a starting point for ED’s proceedings, including the attachment of assets and arrests.
• There is no mention of the ECIR in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA Act) or Rules. 
• However, as per the practice of ED, the ECIR is lodged before taking any action under the PMLA Act. 
• The ECIR under the PMLA Act is similar to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the Police for cognizable offences.
• However, the Supreme Court held that ECIR cannot be equated with an FIR.
• As per the ED, ECIR is a document meant for identification of a particular case and for departmental convenience and is purely an internal document.
• ED is not legally bound to provide a copy of the ECIR to the accused.

Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) FAQs

Q1. Who does the Enforcement Directorate report to?

Ans. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) reports to the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Q2. What is the difference between CBI and ED?

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Ans. The CBI is mainly responsible for investigating cases involving corruption, whereas the ED primarily focuses on probing money laundering activities.

Q3. Does ED need permission from the state government?

Ans. No, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) does not need prior permission from a state government to conduct investigations or operations.

Source: NIE