National Investigation Agency(NIA), 2008

National Investigation Agency(NIA), 2008

About the NIA,2008 and its key features:

• It is a statutory body constituted in 2009 under the provisions of the National Investigation Agency Act,2008.

• It is the central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in the country.
• It was established in the backdrop of the Mumbai terror attacks.
• The headquarters of the NIA is at New Delhi.
• The NIA has a separate specialised cell known as TFFC cell dealing with the subjects of fake currency notes and terror funding.
• The NIA works under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The NIA is headed by a Director- General who is appointed by the Central Government.

Jurisdiction of the NIA:

• The NIA has concurrent jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the offences affecting

1. 1. the sovereignty, security and integrity of India,
   2. security of state,
   3. friendly relations with foreign states and
   4. offences under various acts enacted to implement international treaties, agreements, conventions and resolutions of the UNO, its agencies and other international organizations.

NIA(Amendment) 2019:

• It applied the provisions of the NIA act also to persons who commit a scheduled offence beyond India against Indian citizens or affecting the interest of India.
• It also provided that the officers of the NIA shall have similar powers, duties etc being exercised by the police officers in connection with the investigation of offences, not only in India but outside India too.
• It empowered the Central Government, with respect to a scheduled offence committed outside India, to direct NIA to register the case and take up investigation as if such offence has taken place in India.
• It inserted certain new offences in the Schedule of the NIA act.

Syllabus: Prelims + Mains; GS2 – Indian Polity and Governance