Only four per cent of individuals accused of perpetrating white-collar crimes worth Rs 59,000 crore between January 1, 2018 and July 2023 have been convicted while 93 alleged offenders are absconding, according to information obtained via Right to Information (RTI) applications.

The findings call into question the efficacy of the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police. As per the reply to an RTI application filed by an activist Jeetendra Ghadge, in the aforementioned period, the EOW has registered 594 cases related to economic offences. However, a mere 264 charge sheets, summary reports and closure reports were filed by July this year. This disparity implies that approximately half of these cases are still being probed, leaving countless victims in limbo.