Centre okays NIA courts in Imphal districts

The Centre has approved setting up of special National Investigative Agency courts in Imphal East and Imphal West districts of Manipur, which has been facing ethnic violence since May 2023. NIA is probing eight cases of violence and arson and has arrested several persons. These cases, filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, were originally investigated by Manipur Police before being handed over to NIA, officials said.

An order issued by the counterterrorism division of MHA said: "In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, the central government, in consultation with the chief justice of the High Court of Manipur, hereby, designates the court of district and sessions judge, Imphal East, and the court of district and sessions judge, Imphal West, as NIA special court-I and NIA special court-II, respectively, in Manipur for the trial of the scheduled offences investigated by the National Investigation Agency."

Due to the absence of a designated court, the Supreme Court had recently allowed the NIA request to transfer eight criminal cases from Imphal court to Assam. The court observed, "The prevailing conditions in Manipur are not conducive for ensuring a free and fair trial."


NIA took up three new cases in November after a fresh wave of violence and invoked UAPA on one of them. The first case was filed at Borobekra police station after several houses were burnt and two civilians were killed on November 11. Later, unknown militants abducted and murdered six persons, including three women and three children. The second case is connected with the November 11 attack on a CRPF post at Jakuradhor Karong and Borobekra police stations, Jiribam, by militants. The third case relates to the murder of a woman in Jiribam by militants on November 7.