J&K Guv for including Ranbir Penal Code under NIA Act

J&K Governor NN Vohra stirred a hornet’s nest with his statement that Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), the state’s criminal law, should be brought under purview of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act that could give extraordinary powers to the central probe agency to take over any terror case.

The state, which is under Governor’s rule, enjoys a special status whereby no Act can come into force automatically until it is ratified by the state Assembly. However, the National Conference (NC) and the CPM did not favour Vohra’s suggestion and said that any such move should not be allowed while ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said it would react after studying the statement of the Governor.

In his address at the 7th foundation day of the NIA on Tuesday, Vohra said the Union Home Ministry should take urgent steps to ensure that NIA’s legal framework is suitably modified to enable effective investigations in terror cases. 

“The existing Schedule to the NIA Act also requires to be reviewed for enlarging the list of offences to particularly cover those under the Ranbir Penal Code, Arms Act, NDPS Act, Explosive Substances Act and Cyber Terrorism offences, among others,” he said.

The inclusion of Ranbir Penal Code, which is a substitute to Indian Penal Code(IPC) in Jammu and Kashmir, means that National Investigation Agency (NIA) can take over any case registered under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act as well as Ranbir Penal Code.