Lok Sabha Question No. 4142 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Speedy  Trials in  Terrorism Incidents
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Anil Yeshwant Desai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTON No. 4142

TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 20 th  DECEMBER, 2024

Speedy Trials in Terrorism Incidents

## 4142. SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is any special speedy trial and judgement delivery mechanism available for terrorist incidents in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of the cases pending relating to terrorist activities since 2014;
- (c) the number of terrorists freed by the various courts for failure of prosecution to prove the crime in the courts; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to train the police officials to increase their competency to produce concrete evidence to prove the crime committed by the terrorists?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a): The Central Government and State Government have power to designate Special Courts under sections 11 and 22 of the National Investigation Agency (NIA)  Act  respectively,  for  the  purpose  of  speedy  trials.  Additionally,  under section 19 of NIA Act, trial of any offence by a Special Court shall be held on day to day basis and have precedence over the trial of any other case against the accused in any other court.

Further, the Government has designated 51 NIA Special Courts across the country, out of which 02 NIA Special Courts at Ranchi and Jammu have been designated as the Special Courts for the purpose of sub-section (1) of section 11 of the NIA Act, exclusively for the trial of the scheduled offences investigated by  the  NIA  and  for  the  speedy  trial  and  judgment  delivery  mechanism  for terrorist incidents in the country.

(b): Since  2014  to  2024  (upto  05.12.2024),  NIA  has  registered  456  cases  in which 3059 accused persons have been arrested and 3087 accused have been chargesheeted.

During  this  period  judgments  have  been  pronounced  in  103  cases,  in which  460  accused  persons  have  been  convicted  under  Unlawful  Activities (Prevention) Act[UAPA]and 269 cases are under trial.

(c): Since 2014 to 2024 (upto 05.12.2024), judgments have been pronounced in 103 cases, in which 460 accused persons have been convicted under UAPA and 65 accused persons have been acquitted.

(d): Regular training programmes/ refresher courses for NIA officers are being conducted for effective investigation and prosecution.  NIA has signed MoUs with Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA)and National Forensic Sciences University(NFSU) to train NIA officials in this regard.  NIA officers are also being nominated to attend  courses  at  other  organization  like,  SVPNPA,  Hyderabad  and  Central Detective Training Institutes(CDTIs) etc.

Since  2019,  NIA  has  organised  108  in  house  training  programmes  in which  4471  officers  had  participated,  50  training  programmes  in  cooperation with other organizations in which 2006 officers had participated, 36 Capacity Building Training Programmes (CBTP) for State Police Forces in which 4172 officers had participated and 19 CBTP in association with foreign agencies for NIA officers in which 597 officers had participated.

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