The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will soon have two new wings to investigate cases related to cyber terrorism and human trafficking. In sync with the “zero tolerance” policy of the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to give the federal anti-terrorism agency more teeth and bring under its operational ambit crimes like cyber terrorism and human trafficking. According to an NIA official, these two wings help the agency counter emerging global threats.
Highly placed sources in the Home Ministry told The Daily Guardian that these two wings will have 142 investigation officers of DIG, SP and Dy SP ranks and will include cyber experts, ballistics experts and legal eagles, among other specialists. According to the sources, the MHA has taken the initiative in view of the increasing cyber threats and acts of cyber terrorism in recent years.
“The NIA has so far designated 36 persons as terrorists and has received recognition on international level for its work,” sources said.
Besides creating the two new wings for the NIA, the Central government is working on building a broad database of all acts of terrorism that have taken place in the past 50 years in the country,Article 3/10
their investigation and judgments by the Supreme Court on them.
While inaugurating the NIA office in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh on 27 August, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that the agency is dealing severely with persons who are involved in terror funding. Between 2018 and 2020, the NIA registered 105 cases of terror funding and 876 persons accused of the crime were arrested. The agency has filed charge sheet in 94 of 105 cases of terror funding.
