The premier State Investigation Agency, which was set up last year to exclusively probe terrorism-related cases, is set to get strengthened. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday green-lighted a proposal for creation of 252 posts in the elite agency.
Officials said the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha approved the creation of these posts during a meeting held on June 8 this year.
According to an official spokesperson, Jammu and Kashmir's Home Department on Tuesday accorded sanction to the creation of 252 posts for the State Investigation Agency (SIA). Additional Chief Secretary (Home), R K Goyal, issued the order, sanctioning the creation of the posts.
The posts to be created in the agency including a Deputy Inspector General, three senior superintendents of police and three superintendents of police.
Besides subordinate investigation staff, the SIA will have its own prosecution team headed by an officer of deputy director rank and assisted by three chief prosecuting officers, it said.
The order for constitution of SIA was passed by the government last year while the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha approved the creation of these posts during a meeting held on June 8 this year.
The agency was set up last year to carry out investigations in terrorism cases, act as a counter-terror force and take sustained action against the acts of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The agency acts as a liaison with National Investigations Agency and other central investigations agencies.
The agency was takes to “take such other measures as may be necessary [for] speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism-related cases,” said special secretary Khalid Mehraj in an order issued in November last year.
The agency is headed by a director-ranked officer and it is mandatory for all security agencies to bring to its notice cases or arrests made in connection with counter-insurgency.