BHUBANESWAR: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP in Lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahtab on Monday criticised the National Investigation Agency (NIA) (Amendment) Bill for not having any provision to take state police into confidence during investigations carried out by the agency in the states.
Participating in the discussion on the NIA (Amendment) Bill, Mahtab demanded that the NIA before conducting any investigation in a State should inform the state police head/Director General of Police about such probe.
He said the provision of informing state police head is highly important as in the federal structure of our country, the highest police officer of a state is also a servant of Government of India.
Mahtab said though the former home minister had assured that the provision will be made in the Bill to inform higher police officer of state about NIA probes, the Bill at present provides that the state police will be informed about such investigation only in the event of any law and order situation.
“NIA while carrying out investigation in foreign countries will take their government into confidence but won’t do so during investigations conducted in the state. I have raised strong objection to this,” he said.
Notably, the NIA (Amendment) Bill seeks to investigate human trafficking, offences related to counterfeit currency, manufacturing and sale of prohibited items, cyber-terrorism and offenses under the Explosive Substances Act.