National Investigation Agency

National Investigation Agency
राष्ट्रीय अन्वेषण अभिकरण
Seal of NIA
Flag of NIA
Flag of NIA
Agency overview
Formed2009 (15 years ago) (2009)[1]
Employees649[2]
Annual budget₹200.53 crore (US$24 million)
(2023–24 est.)[3]
Jurisdictional structure
Federal agency
(Operations jurisdiction)		India
Operations jurisdictionIndia
Size3,287,263 square kilometres (1,269,219 sq mi)
Population1,428,627,663
Legal jurisdictionIndia
Governing bodyMinistry of Home Affairs, Government of India
Constituting instrument
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersCGO Complex
New Delhi, India
28°35′18″N 77°13′58″E / 28.5884°N 77.2329°E / 28.5884; 77.2329
Elected officer responsible
Agency executive
Website
www.nia.gov.in Edit this at Wikidata

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a specialised counter-terrorism law enforcement agency in India.[4] The agency is empowered to deal with the investigation of terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states under written proclamation from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The primary mandate of the National Investigation Agency is to investigate and prosecute offences that have national and cross-border implications, specifically focusing on terrorism, insurgency, and other related matters. It is empowered to investigate cases that involve threats to the sovereignty, security, and integrity of India. It has the authority to conduct searches, make seizures and arrests, as well as to collect evidence and maintain a database of terrorist organisations and their members.[5][6]

The agency came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by the Parliament of India on 31 December 2008, which was passed after the deadly 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai. Such an attack revealed the failure of intelligence and ability to track such activities by existing agencies in India, hence the Government of India realised the need for a specific body to deal with terror related activities in India, thereby establishing the NIA.[5][7][8][9] Headquartered in New Delhi, the NIA has branches in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Chennai and Imphal.[10] It maintains the NIA Most Wanted list. Its functioning and effectiveness have also been subject to scrutiny, with debates regarding its jurisdiction, accountability, and coordination with other agencies.

The founding director-general of NIA was Radha Vinod Raju, and he served until 31 January 2010.[11][12] Currently Sadanand Date serves as its director-general since 1 April 2024.

NIA headquarters in New Delhi
  1. ^ NIA officer Mohammed Tanzil shot dead as children watched "Ahmad, who has been with the NIA ever since the organisation was formed in February 2009..."
  2. ^ "With shoe-string budget, NIA poorly equipped for counterterrorism". The Times of India. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Notes on Demands for Grants, 2023-2024" (PDF). indiabudget.gov.in.
  4. ^ "NIA to have new HQ complex on Tuesday". The Economic Times.
  5. ^ a b "National Investigation Agency: About Us". National Investigation Agency. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Act was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ TNN (16 December 2008). "Finally, govt clears central terror agency, tougher laws". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  8. ^ "Cabinet clears bill to set up federal probe agency". Ndtv.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  9. ^ PTI (16 December 2008). "Govt tables bill to set up National Investigation Agency". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Branch Offices". National Investigation Agency.
  11. ^ "Sharad Chandra Sinha new NIA chief". Deccan Herald. February 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  12. ^ "S.C. Sinha- Appointed Director General of NIA". Jagranjosh.com. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2012.