Former ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra appointed full time member of Economic Advisory Council to PM

By Editor in Chief On Mar 27, 2025

The Union government has appointed former Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra as a full-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).

Mishra, aged 65, previously served as the chief of the ED until September 15, 2023. His extended tenure was curtailed by the Supreme Court following multiple petitions challenging the repeated extensions granted to him by the government.

According to a government order issued on Tuesday, Mishra, an officer from the 1984 batch of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in the Income Tax cadre, will assume his role as a full-time member of the EAC-PM. His appointment was approved by the prime minister.

The order further stated that Mishra will serve in the rank and pay scale of a secretary to the Government of India, effective from the date he assumes office, under the standard terms and conditions applicable to re-employed government officials.

The EAC-PM is an independent body tasked with providing economic and related policy advice to the government, specifically to the prime minister. The council is currently chaired by economist Suman Berry. A vacancy arose in the council following the passing of its former chairman, Bibek Debroy, in November 2024.

During Mishra’s tenure as ED director, the agency investigated several high-profile individuals, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi. Additionally, numerous chief ministers, ministers, MLAs, and MPs came under scrutiny under the criminal provisions of the anti-money laundering law. These investigations drew criticism from opposition parties, who accused the ED of being used as a political tool by the BJP-led central government.

Appointed as the ED director in October 2018, Mishra had the second-longest tenure as the agency’s chief, serving for five years. The longest tenure was held by the agency’s first director, A.M. Chatterjee, who served for nearly 7.5 years between 1957 and 1965. While heading the ED, Mishra was elevated to the rank of secretary to the government, surpassing the usual additional secretary designation under the prevailing policy.

Mishra has held various positions within the Income Tax Department as well as the Union home ministry over his career. His tenure at the ED saw the successful deportation of key accused individuals in the VIP chopper scam, including British national Christian Michel and another prime suspect, Rajiv Saxena. Additionally, extradition proceedings were secured against high-profile economic fugitives such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Sanjay Bhandari.