New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency
(NIA) is likely to take over all terror cases involving right
wing extremists groups next week when a formal notification by
the Centre will be issued in this effect.
All cases will be handed over though the Home Ministry is
yet to get the consent of the Madhya Pradesh government whose
police is probing the murder of Sunil Joshi, an accused in
the Samjhauta Express blast case and three other cases.
After taking an in-principle decision to hand over all
seven terror cases involving right wing extremist groups in
the country to the NIA, the Home Ministry sought opinion from
the respective agencies currently investigating them.
Except Madhya Pradesh, the CBI, Rajasthan and Maharashtra
governments have given their nod to the Centre`s proposal,
sources said.
The NIA Act empowers the Centre to unilaterally hand over
any terror case to the agency and does not require the state
government`s consent.
The decision to hand over the cases to NIA was taken
following concerns by security agencies that the suspects
could use differences in the multiple probe at the trial stage
to dilute the cases.
BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has not given its nod to
hand over the probe into the murder of Joshi to NIA.
Joshi, a former RSS man was shot dead at Dewas in
December 2007. Samjhauta blast accused Swami Aseemanand, who
is currently in jail, had in his confessional statement named
Joshi as one of the key conspirators in the right-wing
extremist network.
Of the seven cases, the September 2006 Malegaon blasts
and May 2007 Mecca Masjid blast cases are being probed by the
CBI. The October 2007 Ajmer Sharif blast case is being probed
by the Rajsthan ATS while case of September 2008 blasts in
Malegaon is being probed by the Maharashtra ATS.
Rajasthan has a Congress government while in Maharashtra
Congress is running a coalition government with NCP.
The February 2007 Samjhauta Express blast and September
2008 Modasa blast cases have already been taken over by the
NIA.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key accused in 2008
Malegaon blast case, has been placed under arrest by Madhya
Pradesh Police last month in connection with the murder of
Joshi.
PTI
