SC sent notice to central government on amendment in NIA Act..

New Delhi, Jan 20 (HS): The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government on the petition filed against the amendment of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act. The petition has demanded that the NIA Act Amendment 2019 be declared as unconstitutional. Omar M has filed this petition. The petition has given the premise that the NIA Act 2019 violates the fundamental rights.

Actually, this law also gives unlimited powers to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the rules so far, an investigating officer had to seek permission from the Director-General of Police (DGP) to seize property in any case related to terrorism.

Now this bill allows that if any officer of NIA investigates a case related to terrorism, then he will only have to get permission from the Director-General of NIA for this.

After the new proposed amendments, the Director-General of NIA will now get the right to take possession and attach properties which were used in terrorist activities. Now for this, the NIA will not need to take permission from the Director-General of Police of the state.

The NIA’s strength has increased due to this law. According to the rules so far, only such officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) could be investigated in any such case. But now according to the new rule, NIA officers have been given more powers.

Now any such case can be investigated by the rank of Inspector or above. In the petition, this law is said to be a violation of the original officers.