The Union home ministry is making a clear case for the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) based on the recent busting of the Lashkar module in the national capital. The NCTC has come under fire from the allies and Opposition alike for its alleged “overreaching powers”. The operation which foiled the Lashkar plan to strike terror in Delhi and Srinagar was undertaken by the Intelligence Bureau and involved the police forces of three states. The MHA is expected to make a pitch for the NCTC during the forthcoming DGPs conference on March 12 by pointing out that the terrorists, Ahtesham Malik, and his associates were arrested by the local police after working in close coordination with the IB.
Senior government officials are viewing it as the most significant case in recent times of smooth information sharing among security agencies. “The NCTC will perform a similar function. The intelligence was gathered, analysed and disseminated at the right time. The state police forces in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand were kept in the loop and they made the arrests,” a top government official said. The joint operation of Central and state police forces comes close on the heels of another operation involving the IB to bust the Yasin Bhatkal module of the Indian Mujahideen. The lack of coordination between the IB and Maharashtra ATS in the case had caused embarrassment to the security agencies after an IB informer was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS for his role in the 13/7 Mumbai serial blasts. The MHA had then directed all agencies to share information in counter-terror operations. Drawing lessons, the IB officials this time ensured that the state police forces take the lead and helped them in carrying out the operation which resulted in the foiling of major terror attacks.
The NCTC will only get teeth after a notification is issued by the home ministry giving powers of arrest.