(rpting removing lines in the end)

Parliament Wednesday approved a bill giving more powers to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe terrorist acts against Indians and Indian interests abroad. The Bill amending the NIA Act, 2008, provides for a national-level agency to investigate and prosecute offences listed in the scheduled offences, was passed by Rajya Sabha with a voice vote.

Further, the Act allows for creation of Special Courts for the trial of scheduled offences. The bill has been already passed by the Lok Sabha on July 15.

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 pushing for giving more powers to the NIA to meet fresh challenges. The amendments to the NIA Act will allow the agency to probe terrorist acts against Indians and Indian interests abroad, cybercrimes and cases of human trafficking..