NIA gets teeth in narco terrorism investigation, can seize contraband 

NEW DELHI:  Amid demands for an NIA probe into the alleged Bollywood drug cartel, the government has empowered the anti-terror agency to seize narcotics in cases related under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. 

NIA officials, however,  said the move to empower NIA in narco-related cases had been overdue for long, much before the high-profile Sushant Singh Rajput case. “In exercise of the power conferred by sub section (1) of section 53 of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the central government, after consultation with the state Government, hereby invests the officers of and above the rank of inspectors in the NIA constituted under NIA Act 2008 to exercise the power and perform duties specified in sub section (1) of that section, within the area of their jurisdiction,” stated a notification issued by Ministry of Finance.

NIA officials said the authority to seize narcotics was much felt much required especially in context of many cases of narco-terrorism that the ant-terror agency has been probing in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. “This move empowers NIA officials to seize narcotics in the cases under investigation with NIA and take appropriate action as per law,” said a senior NIA official. 

“The NIA has been investigating several cases of narco-terrorism. But NIA officers did not have the power to seize narcotics in case they find any during searches in the houses of the accused/suspect. To remove this difficulty, this notification has been issued,” the official added. NIA officials added that the agency has not been directed to take up the case of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. 

LONG OVERDUE

• The move to empower NIA in narco-related cases had been overdue for long, much before the Sushant Singh Rajput case
• Its need was felt especially in many cases of narco-terrorism being probed in J&K and Punjab