Tasaduq Hussain
Srinagar, Nov 2: The government has given go-ahead for the formation of the State Investigation Agency (SIA) to effectively investigate military-related cases in the erstwhile state.
The order in this regard was issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department.
According to the order, SIA shall be the nodal agency for coordinating with the NIA and other central agencies and take such measures as may be necessary for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of military-related cases.
It states that the SIA shall consist of a Director and such number of officers and employees as are depicted by the government from time to time.
“All the officers In-charge of the police stations shall mandatorily intimate the SIA immediately upon registering of military-related cases, including those specified in the Annexure of this government order and also about such cases where any militancy linkage surfaces during the investigation”, the order reads.
“Whenever upon intimation U/S 6 of the National Investigation Act 2008, the investigation is not taken up by the NIA, the DGP, J&K shall have regard to the gravity of the offense, progress of the investigation, and other relevant factors, determine in consultation with the SIA whether the case is fit to be investigated by SIA and transfer the investigation of such case at any point of time during the investigation; however, if there is a difference of opinion, the DGP shall take decisions while recording the reason in writing,” it said.
The order directed the PHQ to inform SIA about the progress of the investigation at regular intervals, preferably on a fortnight basis while it also directed the SIA to inform DGP J&K about the cases registered under offenses specified to the agency (SIA).
The order states that the SIA shall also investigate the trail of offenses in cases that are transferred to the state government.
It also ordered that the head of the CID wing shall be the Ex-officio Director of the SIA and the director shall to the extent it pertains to SIA exercise such powers as may be specified by the government from time to time.
As per the order, the employees of SIA will get a 25 percent special incentive of basic pay.
As per the order at least 16 offenses have been mentioned in the Annexure which includes offenses having militancy linkage, conspiracy cases NDPS, and weapon snatching.
