Nothing wrong in NIA taking over cases from states: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI - Home Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday said there was “nothing wrong” in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) taking over terror-related cases from state governments and it should not be construed as an infringement of powers.

“The NIA can take over any case related to terrorism,” Chidambaram told reporters, rejecting the Kerala government’s allegation that it was not consulted before some cases were taken over.

“The NIA takes up cases that may have inter-state ramifications, and in some cases which may have both national and international consequences,” Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram said four terror-related cases had been taken over by the NIA from Kerala and two from Goa.

Last week, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan questioned the NIA decision to take over the cases, including a bus burning case allegedly involving People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Abdul Nazir Maudany’s wife, Sufiya.

The NIA has taken over investigations in the 2005 bus burning case that occurred in Kalamassey, Kochi. Sufiya Maudany was arrested Dec 17 in connection with the case. The other case relates to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)’s south India chief T. Nazeer, who is in police custody in Bangalore. He was allegedly on a recruitment drive.

The terror recruiting case was busted after the Indian security forces gunned down five infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir last year while they were trying to sneak into Pakistan. Nazeer was nabbed in Meghalaya in early December.

The NIA was formed by the Indian government in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai and has the powers to investigate terror-related offences across the country.