The NIA is unlikely to probe the controversial jailbreak in Bhopal by eight SIMI activists saying too many investigations have been ordered into the incident.
The National Investigation Agency is believed to have conveyed to the Home Ministry that the Madhya Pradesh government has already ordered several inquires into the incident, which generated controversy after all eight escapees were killed by police within hours of the jailbreak.
There is no need to involve the NIA in the matter and the NIA conveyed this to the Home Ministry, official sources said.
Soon after the November 1 incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Bhoopendra Singh Thakur had announced that the NIA will be roped into to probe the jailbreak case, but the separate case of encounter will be judicially inquired into along with a state police criminal probe.
The hands of the MP government were tied as the state police had invoked sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) while filing an FIR in connection with the incident.
The NIA Act mandates that all state governments are duty-bound to inform the Union Home Ministry if any FIR under the UAPA is registered in their jurisdiction.
The Home Ministry, in consultation with the NIA, decides whether the case can be probed by the state police or if the NIA should take over investigation depending upon the gravity of offence and interstate ramifications.
The MP government, to fulfil the legal requirement under the UAPA, had sent the FIR to the Home Ministry with a copy to the NIA. But now, the NIA has communicated to the Home Ministry that it was not interested in probing the case, sources said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
