NIA - DEFENCE AND
SECURITY
News: What are the NIA’s allegations
against NSCN? | Explained
What's in the news?
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On March 7, the National Investigation Agency (NIA)
filed a charge sheet in a Guwahati court where it accused the “China-Myanmar
module” of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of
Nagaland (NSCN) of supporting cadres of two banned Meitei outfits, the People’s
Liberation Army (PLA) and Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL), to infiltrate India.
Key takeaways:
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The NIA alleged that their aim was to exploit the
current ethnic unrest in Manipur, which began in May 2023, with a larger goal
to destabilise the State and wage a war against the Government of India.
National Investigation
Agency (NIA):
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NIA is functioning as the central counter terrorism law enforcement agency of India.
Aim:
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To set the standards of excellence in
counter-terrorism and other national security-related investigations at the
national level with an oriented workforce.
Nodal Ministry - Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Establishment:
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NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with the enactment of the
National Investigation Agency Act 2008.
Jurisdiction:
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The agency is empowered to deal with terror-related
crimes across states without special
permission from the states.
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It works under a written proclamation from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The NIA
ensures effective and speedy trials in the cases.
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A State
government may request the Central Government to hand over the
investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been registered for
the offences as contained in the schedule of the NIA Act.
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The Central government can ask the NIA to take over
the investigation of any scheduled
offence anywhere across the nation.
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According to the National Investigation Agency
(Amendment) Act, 2019, officers of the NIA will have the power to investigate
scheduled offences committed outside
India, subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other
countries.
Offices:
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While the headquarters is situated in New Delhi,
NIA has several 12 branch offices across the country.
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The other branches are based in Hyderabad,
Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi,
Chennai and Imphal.
NIA Special Courts:
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Various Special Courts have been notified by the
Government of India for trial of the cases arising out of offences committed in
various states of the Union.
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These are presided
over by a judge appointed by the central government on the recommendation
of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region.