New Delhi, Aug 9: The Centre has extended Enforcement Directorate Director Rahul Navin's tenure by another year, allowing the 59-year-old Indian Revenue Service officer to remain at the helm of the federal anti-money laundering agency until August 13, 2027.

The extension, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), will take effect beyond August 13, 2026.

According to the government order issued on Saturday, Navin will continue as ED Director until August 13, 2027, including an extension in service beyond his superannuation date of July 31, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

A 1993-batch IRS officer of the Income Tax cadre, Navin has been heading the Enforcement Directorate as its full-time director since August 14, 2024. He was first appointed acting director of the agency in September 2023.

Under existing rules, an officer can serve as ED Director for an initial two-year tenure, followed by three possible one-year extensions.

Navin's tenure has coincided with several high-profile investigations by the agency, including probes involving political consultancy firm I-PAC, the Reliance Anil Ambani Group and multiple online money gaming companies.

The ED has also stepped up its focus on cases involving alleged fraud by major real estate companies against homebuyers.

During this period, the agency has used provisions of the anti-money laundering law to facilitate the restoration of assets worth crores of rupees to victims.

The agency has simultaneously sought to tackle long-pending litigation linked to cases registered under the repealed Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). It has also initiated compounding proceedings under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) as part of efforts to reduce litigation that has continued for years.

Navin brings a specialised tax and international finance background to the post. He holds BTech and MTech degrees from IIT-Kanpur and an MBA from the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.

He has also authored books, journals and articles dealing with international taxation and transfer pricing issues in the field of direct taxation.

The Enforcement Directorate probes financial crimes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), besides enforcing the civil provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).