Conviction in 65 of 67 terror cases proof of NIA’s fairness: Govt tells RS

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered 497 cases of terrorism, including the recent Coimbatore blast, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. In the past three years, judgment has been pronounced in 67 cases, of which conviction was obtained in 65 cases, showing the fairness and transparency in investigations, he added.

“Fairness and transparency in investigations by the NIA is evident from the fact that from 2019 to 2022 (up to December 2, 2022), judgment has been pronounced in 67 cases, out of which, conviction has been obtained in 65 cases, and two cases have ended in acquittal,” he said in a written reply.

Rai said the NIA is mandated to investigate and prosecute offences of grave nature affecting the sovereignty, security, and integrity of India, security of state, friendly relations with foreign states, matters relating to international treaties, etc. Cases with national and international implications are entrusted to NIA without any bias or prejudice.

Also read: Why Karnataka police, NIA suspect link between Mangaluru, Coimbatore blasts

“Rise in cases due to enhanced capacity”

Rai was responding to a question posed by MDMK MP Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy and DMK MP M Shanmugam regarding the rise in the number of cases taken up by the NIA. The minister attributed the increase to the “enhanced capacity of NIA with the establishment of new branch offices, expansion of its mandate in 2019 by the inclusion of certain offences related to human trafficking, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, in the schedule of National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.”

The MPs alleged that the NIA was biased towards certain communities and targeted some. Rai responded, “Cases having gravity including national/international implications are entrusted to NIA without any bias or prejudice.”

The NIA has faced allegations of bias and prejudice earlier, too, notably, in the Bhima Koregaon case. The agency had denied before Bombay high court (HC) in August 2021 that it was prejudiced against any accused in the case.

(With agency inputs)