The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has secured just 56 convictions out of 2,396 chargesheets filed over the past 20 years — from 2005-06 to 2025-26 — translating into a conviction rate of 2.33 per cent, according to its 2025-26 annual report released on Friday to mark its 70th year of inception.However, at the same time, the number of cases recorded by the agency rose sharply by 39 per cent between 2024-25 and 2025-26. While 775 cases were recorded in 2024-25, the figure increased to 1,080 ECIRs in the just-concluded fiscal, according to ED’s own data.The number of searches conducted by the ED — often accused by the Opposition of being used as a political tool by the ruling BJP — also saw a steep 93 per cent rise during this period. Searches increased from 1,491 in 2024-25 to 2,892 in 2025-26.Interestingly, despite conducting 2,892 searches in 2025-26, the value of seizures stood at only Rs 710 crore, possibly reflecting the nature of assets seized. In contrast, in 2024-25, when the agency carried out 1,491 searches, seizures were significantly higher at Rs 2,880 crore.On the other hand, total restitutions, representing siphoned-off funds returned to original stakeholders, more than doubled over the two fiscals. From Rs 15,263 crore in 2024-25, restitutions rose to Rs 32,677 crore in 2025-26.Provisional attachment orders also increased during the period, from 461 in 2024-25 to 712 in 2025-26.