Big update! ED declares 9 bank defaulters as fugitive economic offenders

Big update! ED declares 9 bank defaulters as fugitive economic offenders

New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has declared 9 defaulters as Fugitive Economic Offenders, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed Parliament on Tuesday. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA) has been enacted for attachment and confiscation of property of a fugitive economic offender, he said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Further, he said, in the case of accused who fled abroad, the ED has declared 9 of them as Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) under the provisions of FEOA. “Also, 25 extradition requests have also been sent, in respect of 16 accused who fled abroad. In addition to this, assets amounting to Rs 725.90 crore have been confiscated under the provisions of FEOA,” he said.

Bank recoveries

With regard to bad loans, he said, Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) have made an aggregate recovery of Rs 6,82,328 crore in NPA accounts, including written-off loans, during the last five financial years. Gross NPA ratio of SCBs has declined to 2.75 per cent as of March 31, 2024 (as per RBI provisional data) from a peak of 11.18 per cent as of March 31, 2018.

Bank write-offs and fraud cases decline

Replying to another question, Chaudhary said debt write-offs by public sector banks have declined to Rs 1.14 lakh crore in 2023-24 compared to Rs 1.18 lakh crore in the previous year.

The number of frauds (Rs 1 lakh and above), the amount involved, and the amount recovered, as reported by the banks under the category ‘Credit Cards, ATM / Debit Cards and Internet Banking’ has increased nearly five times to 29,082 involving amount of Rs 1,457 crore, Chaudhary said in another reply. As against this, he said, the number of such incidences was 6,699 involving amount of Rs 277 crore.

 The Enforcement Directorate has designated 9 individuals who defaulted on bank loans as fugitive economic offenders, said Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in Parliament.  Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today