Gathering pace: Centre enables National Intelligence Grid to access Financial Intelligence Unit information

NEW DELHI: In a sign that the National Intelligence Grid is finally taking shape, the Centre has enabled it to access information from the Financial Intelligence Unit regarding suspect financial transactions that may pose a danger to the security of the country.

The Central Vigilance Commission and NATGRID have been added to a list of 18 organisations that can access information from the FIU, which draws its powers to collect and disseminate information from the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Officials said NATGRID, which is supposed to access a series of data sets to detect and raise red flags on potential terror threats, and the CVC as the anti-corruption watchdog, have been added to the list to strengthen the fight against financial crimes.

This is the first addition to the list after the Special Investigation Team probing black money was included in 2014. The FIU provides intelligence to notified organisations on suspected cases of money laundering or black money. CBI, Enforcement Directorate, R&AW, IB, RBI, Securities & Exchange Board of India, NIA, Serious Fraud Investigation Office, Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of External Affairs and state governments are among the authorities notified in the list.

The NATGRID project has been delayed due to issues of privacy and linking of databases spread across many agencies. The home ministry earlier indicated that NATGRID would be up and running in 2016. The Centre has, however, turned down a CBI proposal to give the agency powers to probe money laundering cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.