Fight against terror! Govt plans to amend laws to give more power to NIA

Seeking to give more teeth to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the government plans to amend two laws to allow it to probe terrorist acts against Indians and Indian interests abroad. The Union cabinet will take a call on Monday on amending the NIA Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The amendment bill could be introduced in Parliament this week during the ongoing Monsoon session. The amendments will also allow the NIA probe cybercrimes and cases of human trafficking, sources aware of the proposal said Sunday. Amendment to Schedule 4 of the UAPA will allow the NIA to designate an individual suspected to have terror links as a terrorist. As of now, only organisations are designated as terrorist organisations. The NIA was set up in 2009 in the wake of the Mumbai terror attack that had claimed 166 lives. Since 2017, the Union Home Ministry has been considering the two laws to give more power to the NIA to meet fresh challenges, the sources pointed out.