Union Minister of Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has emerged as a premier agency in the country setting standards of excellence in counter terrorism and national security related investigations. Inaugurating the NIA office and residential complexes at Hyderabad and Guwahati, he said that there has been an increasing trend in the number of case being entrusted to NIA since its inception in 2009. Shri Rajnath Singh said that NIA has achieved conviction rate of 92% in the cases assigned to it. Out of the total of 249 cases assigned charge sheets have been filed in 180 cases. The investigations carried out by NIA have resulted in significant decrease in number of youth joining terrorist outfits, he said.   The Minister said that investigations conducted by NIA have helped unearth an entire range of illegal activities involving terrorist groups from terror conspiracy and funding to specific incidents of terrorism.  The scope of NIA investigations encompasses terrorist outfits in India and also global terrorist organizations like JeM, Hizbul Mujahiddin, Lashkar-e-Taiba, etc.

            Several complex cases such as twin blasts in Hyderabad in 2013, Patna Blasts (October, 2013), Pathankot terror attack case (January 2017) have been successfully investigated by NIA, Shri Rajanth Singh added.

            NIA is assigned cases for investigation by the Ministry of Home Affairs either on the basis of a report from a state government on suo motu based on the gravity and complexity of the offence. It also acts as a nodal agency in matters relating to terror financing and smuggling and inculcation of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) closely working with other agencies.

            Alluding to the terrorist attack on February 14, 2019 at Phulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Singh said that, our country has given a fitting reply to terrorists across the border. The Prime Minister has directed our forces to take appropriate action decisively.  India has succeeded in garnering international support in its fight against terrorism.  For the first time, Shri Singh said the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) have invited the External Affairs Minister of India, Smt. Sushma Swaraj as Guest of Honour to the meet, he said.        

Earlier, Shri Y.C. Modi, DIG, NIA welcomed the gathering. Shri E.S.L. Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Shri Mahmood Ali, Home Minister, Government of Telangana were also present. Shri Alok Mittal, IG, NIA, delivered vote of thanks.

(Release ID: 1567052)