On December 14, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed Rajya Sabha that the National Investigation Agency is handling 497 cases at present including the Coimbatore blast case. In reply to the unstarred question 860 asked by Vaiko and M Shanmugam, Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that as of December 2, 2022, NIA is investigating 497 cases, including the Coimbatore blast case.
Rai added that over the years, the investigation agency’s capacity has increased. New offices were established, and certain offences were included in its mandate in 2019 related to human trafficking, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism and the Explosives Substances Act, 1908 in the Schedule of National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. All these factors made it possible for the agency to manage more cases.
The Ministry was further asked about the allegations that NIA was targeting certain communities. In the reply, the MoS said that it was not true. Rai said, “National Investigation Agency is mandated to investigate and prosecute offences of grave nature affecting the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, security of State, friendly relations with foreign States, matters relating to international treaties, etc., as specified in its Schedule. Cases having gravity including national/ international implications are entrusted to NIA without any bias or prejudice.”
He further added that between 2019 and 2022, judgement was pronounced in 67 cases, out of which conviction was obtained in 65 cases and in only two cases, the accused were acquitted.
Coimbatore blast case
On October 23, a cylinder blast took place inside a car near Kottai Easwaran Temple. It was revealed in the investigation that it was a terror attack. The complete timeline of the case can be read here. OpIndia’s complete reporting of the case can be checked here.
