NATIONAL INVESTIGATION
AGENCY (NIA)
- POLITY
News: NIA files supplementary chargesheet
in fake currency case
What's
in the news?
●
The National Investigation Agency (NIA)
filed a supplementary chargesheet against four persons, including the fugitive
don Dawood Ibrahim’s associate Javed Chikna, in the fake currency notes case.
National
Investigation Agency (NIA):
●
It is a central agency mandated to investigate all the offences affecting
the sovereignty, security and integrity
of India, friendly relations with foreign states and the offences under the
statutory laws enacted to implement international treaties, agreements,
conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, its agencies and other International
organisations.
●
These include terror acts and their
possible links with crimes like smuggling of arms, drugs and take Indian
currency and infiltration from across the borders.
●
The agency has the power to search, seize,
arrest and prosecute those involved in such offences.
Scheduled
Offence under the Jurisdiction of NIA:
●
The list includes the Explosive Substances
Act, Atomic Energy Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Anti- Hijacking
Act, Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, SAARC Convention(Suppression of
Terrorism) Act, Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime
Navigation and Fixed Platforms on
Continental Shelf Act, Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems
(prohibition of Unlawful activities) Act and relevant offences under the Indian
Penal Code, Arms Act and the Information
Technology Act.
●
In September 2020, the Centre empowered
the NIA to also probe offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic
Substances Act that are connected to terror cases.
Nodal
Ministry:
●
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is
a statutory entity that works under the Ministry of Home Affairs administrative
jurisdiction.
●
It was introduced by the then-home
minister in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks and passed with
little resistance in Parliament.
●
The NIA was established as a result of the
NIA Act, which was adopted on December 31, 2008.
●
Currently, the NIA serves as India's
Central Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.
How
does the NIA take up cases?
●
As provided under Section 6 of the Act,
State governments can refer the cases pertaining to the scheduled offences
registered at any police station to the Central Government (Union Home
Ministry) for NIA investigation. After assessing the details made available,
the centre can then direct the agency to take over the case.
●
When the Central government is of the
opinion that a scheduled Offence has been committed which is required to be
investigated under the Act, it may Suo
Motu direct the agency to take up/over the probe.
Territorial
Jurisdiction:
●
The law under which the agency operates
extends to the whole of India and also applies to Indian citizens outside the country.
●
Persons in the service of the government
wherever they are posted.
●
Persons on ships and aircraft registered
in India wherever they may be.
●
Persons who commit a scheduled Offence
beyond India against the India citizen or affecting the interest of India.