Govt Wants More Powers for NIA

• 16 Jul 2018

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is set to introduce amendments in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 seeking to give more power to NIA.

Proposed Amendments

• The NIA will be empowered to probe cases related to human trafficking, weapons dealer, hacking of important websites and violations of the explosives law.
• The NIA director-general will be empowered to carry out “seizure and attachment of a property representing proceeds of terrorism”. At present, the NIA needs the state DGP’s approval for the same.
• NIA will be allowed to launch a parallel probe into terror attacks on Indians and their properties abroad.
• Under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the government will be allowed to designate an individual suspected to have terror links as a terrorist who are not associated with any terror organization but indulge in terror acts independently.
• NIA inspectors will be allowed to investigate offences under the UAPA. At present, an officer of Deputy SP- rank or above is empowered in UAPA cases.

NOTE: The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. NIA Act empowers the agency to investigate offences under eight special laws, including the UAPA.