RATIONALE OF THE NIA‌

While introducing the NIA Bill in the Parliament, the Government of India gave the following reasons for creating the NIA1 :

1. Over the past several years, India has been the victim of large-scale terrorism sponsored from across the borders. There have been innumerable incidents of terrorist attacks, not only in the militancy and insurgency affected areas and areas affected by left-wing extremism, but also in the form of terrorist attacks and bomb blasts, etc., in various parts of the hinterland and major cities, etc.

2. A large number of such incidents are found to have complex inter-state and international linkages, and possible connection with other activities like the smuggling of arms and drugs, pushing in and circulation of fake Indian currency, infiltration from across the borders, etc.

3. Keeping all these in view, it was felt that there was a need for setting up of an agency at the central level for the investigation of offences related to terrorism and certain other Acts, which have national ramifications.

4. Several expert committees and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission2 have also made recommendations for establishing such an agency.

5. The Government, after due consideration and examination of the issues involved, proposed to enact a legislation to make provisions for establishment of an NIA in a concurrent jurisdiction framework, with provisions for taking up specific cases under specific Acts for investigation. These provisions are proposed to be incorporated in the National Investigation Agency Bill, 2008.