Fortifying powers to intensify internal security of India, Govt slates NIA Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, July 8: Aligning a streak of vital and important contribution towards extending safety by ensuing strong security for India, National investigation Agency has played a very crucial role as far as internal security is concerned. Extending a thought by fortifying the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday.

The bill seeks in giving NIA the power to probe terror attacks targeting Indians and Indian interests on foreign soil. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy introduced the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by citing that the legislation will also allow the NIA probe cyber-crimes and cases of human trafficking.

Through the legislation, the government wants to further strengthen the NIA Act. Adding further Kishan Reddy said, the agency will be empowered to conduct investigation in any part of the world if any terror attack targeting Indians or Indian interests takes place. The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack which had claimed 166 lives.

Opposing the Bill, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said the courts were already clogged with huge backlog and now the government was adding more cases through the amendment in the NIA Act. Tharoor alleged that the Bill was "not based on logic" and was a "piecemeal" legislation. The Bill does not insulate the NIA from political interference, he said.

Indian Union Muslim League MP P K Kunhalikutty said when the government is widening the powers of the investigation agencies, there should be another set of measures or provisions to ensure that the powers are not misused.