From slaying terrorists to paralysing Yasin Malik, NIA is India’s answer to terror and threat

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

While the overall success rate of the NIA is impressive, the one particular area in which the agency has excelled the most is terror funding. These are not mere claims as there are statistics that prove the same.

New Delhi, Aug 19: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was set up in 2009 following the Mumbai 26/11 attacks. It has since been India’s premier agency that has been probing cases related to terror, left-wing extremism and terror funding.

It has been able to break the back of many terror organisations and individuals indulging in terror funding. In the year 2019, the NIA got more teeth with two key amendments. The amendments allowed the NIA to probe cases of cyber crime and also human trafficking.

The amendment to Schedule 4 of the UAPA also allowed the NIA to designate an individual suspected to have terrorist links as a terrorist. Prior to this only organisations were designated as terrorist organisations.

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The NIA has carried out investigations across the country especially in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. In 2019, the NIA took up 62 cases which is the highest in a year since its inception. This was the same year that the amendment mentioned above was made. In all, the NIA has taken up 473 cases. Interestingly of the 473 cases, 231 were taken up since 2019, data would show.

The conviction rate of the NIA stands at 93.25 per cent which is the highest for any central agency. In all, the NIA has apprehended 2,394 persons and among those who stood trial 391 have been convicted.

Further, 105 cases of terror funding have been registered and 796 persons related to these cases have been arrested. In about 20 of these cases, 100 have been convicted.

One of the major cases that literally killed separatism in Kashmir was the one against Yasin Malik, Shabbir Shah and Masarat Alam. In a chargesheet that was filed by the NIA against Kashmiri businessman, Zahoor Watali it was stated that he had transacted with Malik. He got funds from the Pakistan High Commission and the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the agency further said.

The NIA zeroed in on the various properties possessed by Malik and his relatives. The agency listed 12 properties that belonged to Malik. They are located in Srinagar. Some of the properties are also in the name of his relatives and the NIA said that they are valued at Rs 15 crore. Further Malik also has a mall at Srinagar, the probe learnt.

The NIA has also been probing cases related to the targeted killings of Hindus in Punjab and many other states. It has also taken up the probes into the killing of Kanhaiya Lal and Umesh Kolhe in Amaravati respectively. While the killings shook up the entire nation, the NIA is probing the larger conspiracy behind the targeted killings.

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In April when Union Home Minister Amit Shah was speaking at the NIA Raising day, he said that in a span of 13 years, the agency has performed exceptionally well.

He said that under Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s vision for a terror-free India, the NIA and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been strengthened after amendments by Parliament.

While the overall success rate of the NIA is impressive, the one particular area in which the agency has excelled the most is terror funding. After PM Modi came to power, the main emphasis has been to curb terror.

However in order to do so the one key aspect was to curb funding, which is the backbone of terror.
With the agency going all hog on terror funding, it managed to kill terror in the mainland and ensured the gradual yet steady death of separatism in Kashmir.

An official tells OneIndia that it is a well known fact the Narendra Modi government since it came to power gave a lot of emphasis on putting an end to terror and funding. To break terror, it was important to end its funding, the official also stated.

These are not mere claims, the official states, and there are statistics that prove the same.