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New Delhi: India seems set to incrementally ramp up its anti-terror laws, with a key minister and a reforms panel speaking of the need for strengthening the statute - and also for creating a federal agency to probe terrorist acts.
On its part, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reiterated the need for India to have a special law to battle terrorists, even as it sought a clarification whether the government had shot down National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan's suggestion for state-specific anti-terror laws.
"In a few weeks we expect to come out with more focused and dramatic measures," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said.
"Terrorism is a growing concern for the government. There is serious thinking on creating a separate Federal Investigating Agency dedicated to combating terrorism.
Consensus
"Position papers on this have been circulated. The Prime Minister too has had a look at it. We have to get a consensus across the states for creating this new agency. The prime minister may keep it under his charge or it could be with the home ministry," he said.
"Another idea being actively considered is restructuring the Central Bureau of Investigation to enable it to have three separate wings.
"One will focus only on intelligence gathering in the context of terrorism and take appropriate preventive action; another will concentrate on economic crimes like money laundering, counterfeit currency and anti-corruption; while the third wing will on the request of states investigate and look into crimes beyond the capacity of the local police force."
Chavan's comments came after five bombs went off in three shopping districts in New Delhi Saturday, killing at least 24 people and injuring about 100 people. The terror attack, coming within weeks of similar strikes in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, sparked off widespread criticism that the Congress-led government was unable to put an end to terrorist activity.
Over 650 people have died in terrorist attacks in the country in the past eight years, with most of the cases yet to be cracked.
On Tuesday, the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommended the establishment of a federal agency to investigate terrorist acts, as also the enactment of stringent laws to deal with the scourge.
"Tough anti-terror laws are required. We are of the view that a federal agency is required to investigate terrorist offences," ARC chairman M. Veerappa Moily told reporters while releasing its eighth report titled Combating Terrorism.
Among the other measures the commission has recommended are strengthening anti money-laundering laws to block the flow of funds for financing terrorist activities, the creation of fast-track courts to exclusively deal with terrorist-related cases and a multi-pronged strategy to deal with "the menace of terrorism".
This apart, the commission also said that no person accused of an offence punishable under the National Security Act (NSA) should be released on bail.
"A comprehensive and effective legal framework to deal with all aspects of terrorism needs to be enacted," the commission said in its report.
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