The Centre on Wednesday authorised more than 1,200 additional investigators and staff members for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing several high-profile cases involving politicians mostly belonging to Opposition parties.
Sources said the restructuring of the anti-money-laundering agency covered executive, legal, adjudication, security and support staff in a move aimed at strengthening its operational and administrative capacity.
There is a sharp increase in the executive cadre — the strength of deputy directors has been increased from 148 to 267, that of assistant directors from 254 to 531, enforcement officers from 355 to 606 and assistant enforcement officers from 425 to 803.
"The expenditure for the additional manpower will be met from the ED's sanctioned budget grant. The agency was reeling from a manpower crunch, considering the rising caseload of money-laundering cases handled by the agency," an ED official said.
Over the past few years, the ED has become one of the most busy central probe agencies. According to official data, searches or raids conducted by the agency under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act almost doubled to 2,892 in 2025-26, while it also effected the "highest-ever" provisional attachment of assets in that year.
Media reports have suggested that 95 per cent of all politicians who have been raided, booked, arrested or questioned by the ED since the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014 are from Opposition parties. The ED reports to the finance ministry.