Nod to amend NIA Act, UAPA

New Delhi, June 24

In a bid to enhance the jurisdiction of the anti-terror probe agency NIA, the government today cleared proposals to amend the National Investigation Agency Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which will allow it to investigate into cases of cyber crimes and human trafficking.

Sources said with the approval of the Cabinet, the two separate Bills will now be introduced in Parliament during the current session.

The amendments to the NIA Act are aimed at expanding the jurisdiction by including cyber crimes and human trafficking for the agency to probe into them, sources said. Once the amendments are passed by Parliament, the NIA will also be empowered to take up cases of terror incidents against India and Indians abroad, they added.

Amendment to Schedule 4 of UAPA will allow the NIA to designate an individual suspected to have terror links as a terrorist. As of now, only organisations are designated as “terrorist organisations”.

The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives. — TNS