Governments speak the language of "zero tolerance". But numbers tabled on the floor of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly tell a far more complicated and uncomfortable story. In written replies by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav to questions raised by MLAs Pankaj Upadhyay and Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, two premier anti-corruption agencies, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and the Lokayukta, have revealed data that raises sharp questions about enforcement, delay, and accountability.
According to the government's reply, between 2020 and 2025, the Economic Offences Wing secured convictions in 40 out of 70 criminal cases that reached a verdict, while 30 ended in acquittal - a conviction rate of 57 per cent.
At first glance, this appears substantial. However, the timeline behind these convictions tells a different story. The average time taken for a decision in these 70 cases was an extraordinary 13 years and 7 months. Some cases stretched across decades: a 1990 case concluded after 33 years, a 1995 case after 28 years, a 1996 case after 29 years, and a 1999 case after 26 years. The broader pattern shows that even when convictions are achieved, they come after prolonged judicial journeys that dilute deterrence and public confidence.
The complaint-to-case conversion data is equally revealing. From 2020 to January 2026, the EOW received 19,775 complaints, averaging over 3,200 per year. In January 2026 alone, 437 complaints were filed. Yet only 2,624 complaints, about 14 percent, were formally registered, and crime was registered in just 566 cases, amounting to barely 2.8 percent of total complaints received during this period. In other words, more than 97 per cent of complaints did not result in criminal case registration.
Congress MLA Pankaj Upadhyay questioned this filtering process, particularly in reference to a Rs 100 crore sewerage scheme complaint from Ratlam, alleging that forwarding complaints to departments instead of initiating criminal action weakens accountability.
Lokayukta: 1,379 Officers Under Scanner But Only 0.6% Conviction
If the Economic Offences Wing numbers raise eyebrows, the Lokayukta data sets off alarm bells. Since 2022-23, the Lokayukta has received 1,884 complaints and registered 1,063 criminal cases, with 1,592 investigations completed and 1,379 officers currently under scrutiny. But the real shock lies in what happens after registration. Of the 1,063 criminal cases, investigation has been completed in 393, yet 134 are still stuck awaiting prosecution sanction, a bureaucratic gatekeeper that often slows justice to a crawl.
Only 39 cases have seen initial prosecution proceedings begin, 208 have resulted in charge sheets, and convictions? Just 7. That translates to a microscopic 0.65% conviction rate out of total registered cases. Even if one counts only the 208 charge-sheeted cases, the conviction rate stands at just 3.36%. In blunt terms: hundreds investigated, hundreds charge-sheeted only seven convicted.
The agency reports recovery of Rs 20.97 crore and disciplinary action in 153 cases, with 12 cases closed due to death or discharge of the accused. Recovery suggests wrongdoing was detected. Departmental action signals administrative acknowledgement. But inside courtrooms, convictions remain painfully rare.
The combined data from both agencies presents a striking contrast.
The EOW shows a relatively higher conviction rate of 57 per cent in decided cases, but those decisions take an average of 13 years and 7 months to arrive. The Lokayukta, on the other hand, shows a high volume of cases and investigations but an extremely low conviction output, with 134 cases still awaiting prosecution sanction and hundreds more pending investigation. The numbers suggest that while anti-corruption mechanisms are active in terms of complaint intake and investigation, the transition from investigation to prosecution and from prosecution to conviction remains slow and uncertain.
