Centre designates 3 special courts to try NIA cases

The two currently designated NIA courts at Patiala House have been denotified.

The central government has designated three special exclusive courts at the Rouse Avenue Court to exclusively try scheduled offences investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), replacing the two existing special NIA courts at Patiala House courts.

The two currently designated NIA courts at Patiala House have been denotified. (Photo for representation)

A notification issued on July 24 by the principal secretary in the Union ministry of home affairs said Special Exclusive Courts 1, 2 and 3 at Rouse Avenue Court have been designated as NIA courts under Section 11 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008.

The two currently designated NIA courts at Patiala House have been denotified.

At present, NIA cases in Delhi are heard by the courts of additional sessions judge Prashant Sharma and principal district and sessions judge Pitamber Dutt at Patiala House Courts.

The move is expected to result in the transfer of nearly 55 NIA cases currently pending before the two Patiala House courts, which are likely to be distributed among the three newly designated courts at Rouse Avenue.

The notification said the redesignation has been made in exercise of powers under Section 11 of the NIA Act, which empowers the Centre to designate courts of session as special courts in consultation with the chief justice of the Delhi High Court.

The shift comes after the construction of 16 new courtrooms at the Rouse Avenue Court complex. Of these, three have now been designated as exclusive NIA courts, while the remaining 13 are yet to be assigned.

The Rouse Avenue Court complex presently handles cases involving sitting and former Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies, besides corruption and economic offences investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).