Lok Sabha Question No. 2153 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-20
Subject: Cross-Border Terrorism and Cyber Crimes
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2153

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  DECEMBER, 2022/ AGRAHAYANA 29, 1944 (SAKA)

CROSS-BORDER TERRORISM AND CYBER CRIMES

2153.      SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Union  Government  proposes  that  States  should  have  a uniform  law  and  order  policy  as  certain  crimes  such  as  cross-border terrorism and cyber crimes transcend regional and international boundaries;
- (b) whether the Union Government also propose to States that to counter terror  activities,  each  State  would  have  a  National  Investigation  Agency (NIA)  office  as  the  agency  had  been  given  'extra  territorial  jurisdiction' and additional  powers  to  confiscate  property  in  terror-related  cases  and also called for centralisation of data on terror and other crimes including 'one data, one entry'; and

(c) if so, the details thereof and progress made during the last three years, State-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a): As per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India the subjects of  'Police'  &  'Public  Order'  are  with  the  State  Governments.  However,  in matter  such  as  terrorism,  the  central  government  assists  the  State Governments acknowledging it as the shared responsibility.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) is the principal legal regime against terrorism in India. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) at the central  level  and the police forces of states at state level are

competent  to  take  action  against  such  offences  under  the  existing  law including the UAPA.

The  Government  has  also  established  the  'Indian  Cyber  Crime Coordination Centre' (I4C) to provide a framework and eco-system for Law Enforcement Agencies to deal with cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. The 'National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal' has been launched to enable the public to report all types of cybercrimes. Cybercrime incidents reported on this portal are routed automatically to the  respective  State/UT  law  enforcement  agency  for  further  handling  as per the provisions of law.

(b) and (c):   The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the premier central agency for investigation of cases relating to terrorism and other scheduled offences.  NIA  is  headquartered  in  Delhi  and  its  18  branch  offices  have already been established covering all the major cities of the country. Out of these 18 branch offices, 10 have been established during 2019-2022. For effective and prompt investigation and prosecution of offences relating to cyber  terrorism,  National  Investigation  Agency  (NIA)  Act,  2008  was amended in 2019 to include Section  66F  of  Information  Technology  Act, 2000 in its Schedule.

The Crime and Criminal Tracking  Network  &  Systems  (CCTNS)  has been  deployed  in  all  the  police  stations  in  the  country  and  enables interlinking  and  sharing  of  data  among  police  stations  and  central  law enforcement agencies for crime investigation.

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