NIA commissions study for better investigation in terror cases

With probe in several terror cases not withstanding judicial scrutiny, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has commissioned the Indian Law Institute (ILI) to study terror cases of last few years to see where the efforts of investigating agencies were falling short. Rajesh Ahuja reports.

With probe in several terror cases not withstanding judicial scrutiny, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has commissioned the Indian Law Institute (ILI) to study terror cases of last few years to see where the efforts of investigating agencies were falling short.

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“Though the study has been commissioned by the NIA, but all investigation agencies of the country will benefit from it,” said a senior NIA official on the condition of anonymity.

The ILI was founded in 1956 with an objective of promoting and conducting legal research and is a deemed university.

Of such cases, the most peculiar one is the Malegaon blast of 2006 wherein two agencies — the anti-terror squad of Maharashtra and the CBI — filed two chargesheets against same set of accused but the NIA probe has gone into totally different direction with many Hindu extremists coming under the scanner.

Besides, serious doubts have emerged about the probe carried by the Maharashtra ATS in the July 11, 2006 local train blasts of Mumbai and the Delhi blasts of October 2005, say sources.

The case of former Hizbul Mujahideen militant Liyaqat Shah is another example, wherein the Delhi police claimed that Shah was planning to carry out bomb blasts in Delhi but the charge was refuted by his family. The case was then handed over to the NIA.

“For the sake of credibility of investigation agencies, it is very necessary to look for the ways for better investigation and then prosecution. Therefore the NIA roped in the ILI for the research,” said the NIA official.