Gujarat: Centre designates special court in Ahmedabad for NIA trials

The Centre has designated the Court of the Additional Principal Judge in Ahmedabad as a special court for NIA cases. The court will have jurisdiction across Gujarat and aims to ensure speedy trials for sensitive offences like terrorism.

Special NIA Court for Gujarat

The Central government has designated a special court in Gujarat's Ahmedabad for the trial of cases investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a move aimed at strengthening the judicial process in handling sensitive offences.

Exercising its powers under Section 11 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in consultation with the Gujarat High Court and the government of Gujarat, on March 17, notified the court of the Additional Principal Judge, City Civil Court, Ahmedabad, as the special court.

The designated court will exclusively conduct trials related to scheduled offences probed by the NIA. Officials said the move is intended to ensure expeditious and focused adjudication of cases involving national security and terrorism.

State-wide Jurisdiction and Official Notification

As per the notification, the jurisdiction of the special court will extend across the entire state of Gujarat, enabling it to hear all NIA cases arising within the state.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the National Investigation Agency, Act 2008 (34 of 2008), the Central Government, in consultation with the Hon'ble Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court and the Government of Gujarat, hereby designates the Court of Additional Principal Judge, City Civil Court, Ahmedabad as the Special Court for the purpose of sub-section (1) of section 11 of the said Act, exclusively for the trial of the Scheduled Offences investigated by the National Investigation Agency. The jurisdiction of the Special Court for the National Investigation Agency mentioned above shall extend throughout the State of Gujarat," reads the notification.

Aiming for Expeditious Trials

The purpose of the notification is to establish a dedicated judicial mechanism for the speedy and effective trial of NIA cases in Gujarat.

The special court would exclusively handle cases investigated by the NIA, ensuring focused attention on serious offences, ensure faster trials of scheduled offences-- which typically involve terrorism, national security, and other grave crimes under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. The move is aimed at strengthening the legal framework for prosecuting national security-related offences efficiently and effectively. (ANI)

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