Govt wants more power for National Investigation Agency: Report

Representational pic (Courtesy: www.nia.gov.in)

Delhi: The NDA government wants to expand the mandate of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), as per a media report.

According to Hindustan Times, the Centre wants to give NIA powers to probe human trafficking, weapons dealers, hacking of important websites and violations of the explosives law.

At the same time, the report said that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh wants to end NIA's dependence on approval from state police chiefs before confiscating or attaching assets of those who were accused of crimes.

Law and order is a state subject.

NIA Act was enacted on 31-12-08. At present NIA is functioning as the Central Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.

To quote from NIA's official website (nia.gov.in) - "The government after due consideration and examination of the issues involved, proposed to enact a legislation to make provisions for establishment of a National Investigation Agency in a concurrent jurisdiction framework, with provisions for taking up specific cases under specific Acts for investigation."