The Enforcement Directorate has taken up 1,105 bank fraud cases, attached crime proceeds worth Rs 64,920 crore and arrested 150 people, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said the total number of wilful defaulters having outstanding loan of Rs 25 lakh and above from public sector banks rose to 14,159 at the end of March 2023, from 10,209 at the end of June 2019.

In case of private sector banks, the number of such defaulters rose to 2,504 at the end of March 2023, from 1,950 at the end of June 2019.

"As per inputs received from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), it has taken up around 1,105 bank fraud cases, including those pertain to willful defaulters, for investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMIA)." "Necessary action as per the provisions of PMLA has been taken, which resulted in attachment of proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 64,920 crores (approx)," Karad said.

A total of 150 accused have been arrested and 277 prosecution complaints have been filed before the special courts (PMLA), he added.

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