Late RV Raju, took over as the first Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on January 19, 2009. Starting with a handful of officers, operating out of a few rooms at Centaur Hotel, New Delhi, NIA has come a long way into being a credible organisation, currently investigating many high profile terror cases in the country.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was set up by the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, which was enacted as India’s law enforcement response to terrorism in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The enactment was the outcome of a long felt need to constitute an investigation agency at the national level to investigate and prosecute offences affecting the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, security of State, friendly relations with foreign States and offences under Acts enacted to implement international treaties, agreements, conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, its agencies and other international organisations and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
.NIA is assigned cases for investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, either on the basis of a report from the State Government, or suo motu, which are grave enough to be investigated by the Agency.
Of the 78 cases investigated till date, NIA has finalised investigation in 38 cases. Many cases have entered the trial phase, of which in eight, trial has been completely or partially finalised and judgements delivered. NIA has secured conviction in six cases, in which 20 accused have been convicted. Of these seventeen have been convicted for life, and three for various other punishments.
NIA has launched prosecution against 780 accused, of whom 466 accused have been arrested. 307 of them are still under judicial custody. In its investigations, NIA has used the most advanced scientific techniques, as well as pioneered the use of instruments like the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties for obtaining assistance in investigation abroad.
Activities of NIA extend outside the realm of investigation, into co-ordinating with governments of States and Union Territories, and other Law Enforcement Agencies in compliance with the mandate of the NIA Act, assisting State investigative agencies and other Law Enforcement Agencies in investigation of terrorism cases, as well as co-operating with stakeholders at national and international level, in keeping with the principles set out in the Preamble to the NIA Act and its provisions. NIA is also building a national repository of terrorism related information for sharing it with stakeholders.
Besides Headquarters, NIA today has five branches, in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Mumbai, and Lucknow. It today has a strength of 657 personnel, spread over all ranks, and branches.
