Recruitment process for NIA has begun: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Home Minister P. Chidambaram Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that orders were being issued to recruit officers for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) set up in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike.

"Orders are being issued to recruit one deputy inspector general, two superintendents of police, two deputy superintendents of police and two inspectors," said Chidambaram.

Radha Vinod Raju, a 1975 Indian Police Service officer, was appointed as chief of the NIA last month and had been tasked to handpick the best investigators to staff the new agency.

The home minister further told the house that investigations into the Mumbai terror strike were almost complete and police was poised to file a comprehensive chargesheet.

To a question why cases relating to Maoist violence were not being referred to the NIA, Chidambaram said such cases may not fit the mandate of the investigating agency that had powers to probe terrorism and other crimes having national ramifications.

"But I am not ruling it out. If the case is serious enough then I will ask for it," he said.

In the interim budget presented in parliament Monday, the NIA has been allocated Rs.100 million for 2009-10.