Kamal Ghorui
New Delhi: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is intensifying its effort to curb white-collar crime by leveraging advanced technology and coordinating with banks.The intensified crackdown has led to a 29% increase in FIR registrations, along with nearly a 12% rise in arrests last year, compared to 2024.According to data, 190 cases were registered in 2025, up from 147 in 2024. The unit also recorded 154 arrests in 2025, compared to 138 the previous year.A senior police officer said investigators are leveraging financial analysis and digital forensic tools to audit financial trails and scrutinise records. Sources said they are assisted by three forensic accounting experts, and in cases where data is deleted from electronic devices, cyber experts are brought in to help retrieve the information.“Close coordination is also maintained with banks, regulatory bodies and other enforcement agencies to ensure timely exchange of information,” the officer added.“Strict legal provisions are invoked for registration of cases, search and seizure, attachment and freezing of assets, and expeditious filing of chargesheets, along with proactive intelligence gathering,” the officer said.Most cases were related to property fraud, bank fraud, builder fraud, cheating, Ponzi schemes, GST fraud, investment fraud and business disputes. These cases saw a sharp rise, with 138 registered in 2025 compared to 94 in 2024.In builder fraud cases, buyers were misled through attractive but deceptive promotions. Construction was often halted midway or flats were never delivered, and in some instances, the same property was sold to multiple buyers. In GST frauds, unknown people misused Aadhaar and PAN documents to obtain GST registrations and carry out bogus financial transactions, with victims often discovering the fraud only after receiving income tax notices or while filing returns. Ponzi and investment scams duped people on the pretext of doubling their money.The officer added that advisories and prescriptions are regularly issued to people through media and press releases regarding the dos and don’ts to prevent economic offences. “For effective redress, timely efforts are made to freeze bank accounts and attach properties related to the proceeds of crime. Although complaints have increased, a faster mechanism has been adopted for quick and effective action,” he said.Awareness programmes are regularly conducted by the EOW in coordination with RBI, SBI, SEBI and police at crowded places such as malls, markets and colleges, alongside MWA/RWA.Large-scale events are also organised to educate the public about builder frauds, mortgage scams, MLM/Ponzi schemes and other financial crimes.In terms of prosecution, 447 chargesheets were filed in 2025 and 453 in 2024. The officer added court monitoring ensures effective prosecution and higher conviction rates, while specialised training programmes are conducted to enhance the skills of investigating officers in tackling financial crimes.
