About NIA:

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a statutory body that was constituted under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008 in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
• NIA is functioning as the Central Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• NIA Act, 2008 empowers the NIA to investigate and prosecute offences within India and NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019 empowered the agency to investigate offences committed outside India, subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.
• NIA act empowers the NIA to take suo motu cognisance of terror activities in any part of India and register a case, to enter any state without permission from the state government, and to investigate.
• The investigated cases by NIA are trailed under special courts whose judges are appointed by the Central government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region.
• The NIA can also make an application to the Chief Justice of the High Court for the appointment of a Judge to preside over the Special Court.
• NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019 widened the power of NIA: Originally The NIA can investigate and prosecute offences under The Atomic Energy Act, 1962, The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and The Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982, among other entries. The amendment has allowed the NIA to investigate, in addition, cases related to (i) human trafficking, (ii) counterfeit currency or banknotes, (iii) manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, (iv) cyber-terrorism, and (v) offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908.
• Recently, National Investigation Agency (NIA) was empowered to investigate offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.