Chhattisgarh: State government to constitute “State Investigation Agency” on lines of NIA

In a significant decision taken by the incumbent Chhattisgarh’s State government, the Vishnu Deo Sai led state cabinet has decided to constitute a State Investigation Agency (SIA) on lines of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), informed the government on Wednesday, March 6.

The SIA will act as a State nodal agency in coordanating with the NIA and the State cabinet has approved to create a post of a Superintendent of Police (SP) along with 74 other new posts for its smooth functioning.

Taking to the X, the State’s Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai while announcing the government’s move informed that “we have decided to constitute State Investigation Agency for quick and effective investigation and prosecution in cases pertaining to terrorism, Naxalism, Left wing extremism.”

The government decision to constitute the SIA has come at a time when the State government has recently decided to recommend for a NIA investigation into the Sadhram murder case of Kawardha after initial interrogation in the case indicated about possible terror connections of the accused.

Additionally, it must be consider that the tribal dominated State of Chhattisgarh has been a focal point of the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) for decades and is considered home to the strongest units of the Maoist spreaded widely through the mostly unexplored terrain of the Bastar divison.

It is being speculated that the formation of such a agency could prove to be a game changer in speeding up the investigation and prosecution in cases pertaining to the left wing insurgency. Furthermore, the formation of a SIA is also expected to assist the central agencies while investigating the cases pertaining to terrorism.

Further, the State cabinet meet held on Wednesday marks several other significant decisions of the Sai cabinet including of implemnting the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in higher education department of the State and renaming of the ‘State Planning Commission Chhattisgarh’ to ‘Rajya Niti Aayog Chhattisgarh.’

It must be noted that the State’s Chief Minister after assuming the office in December last year had dropped hints that his government will focus on improving the law and order of the State alongside launching schemes with an aim to assist farmers, women and development of the insurgency hit regions.

Significantly, the Sai led cabinet in its short tenure of a few months has announced a number of schemes such as Mahtari Vandan Yojna, Krishak Unnat and Niyad Nellanaar Scheme (a flagship initiative of the State government for residents of Maoist affected regions.to provide them with the benefits of government schemes).

Meanwhile the State government has also recommended for a CBI enquiry into the alleged CGPSC scam and the Biranpur incident alongside announcing a NIA investigation into the Sadhram Yadav murder case of Kabirdham district. This comes amidst the government has recently ordered bulldozer action on alleged illegal properties of accused’s and other illegal encroachments.

It is noteworthy that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) during the State assembly election campaign last year had vowed to work for strengthening of the law and order alongside pacing up the development of the State if voted to power.

Notably, the aggressive campaign of the party on issues related to law and order, corruption, illegal conversion and insurgency had led them to securing an impressive victory in the election where the saffron party had secured victory on 54 out of 90 assembly seats.