NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducts its investigations with utmost fairness and transparency and it doesn’t target any particular communities, said the government on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question on whether there is an allegation that NIA is targeting certain communities, the Home Ministry said that the agency conducts investigations without any bias or prejudice.
“Cases having gravity including national and international implications are entrusted to NIA without any bias or prejudice,” said Nityanand Rai, Minister of State in the ministry of home affairs in the Parliament.
Replying to the question on the efforts made by the Agency to handle the cases without any bias and the number of cases that have ended in acquittal during the last three years, the minister said that the fairness and transparency in the investigations by the NIA is evident from the fact that from the year 2019 to 2022 (upto 15.12.2022). “Judgment has been pronounced in 67 cases, out of which, conviction has been obtained in 65 cases and 02 cases have ended in acquittal,” he 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.
On the question of the number of cases being handled by NIA at present including the Coimbatore blast, the minister said that the agency has registered 497 cases including Coimbatore blast case. Early this month, the NIA arrested three persons in connection with the Coimbatore blast that took place near Kottai Eswaran Temple in Ukkadam area of Coimbatore. The agency said that the three were involved in conspiracy meetings and providing incriminating material for the blast.
The October 23 blast killed a 25-year-old youth, allegedly connected to ISIS. “The reason for increase in cases of the National Investigation Agency over the years is due to enhanced capacity of NIA with establishment of new Branch Offices, expansion of its mandate in 2019 by inclusion of certain offences related to human trafficking, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism and the Explosives Substances Act, 1908 in the Schedule of National Investigation Agency Act, 2008,” he said.