A BUREAUCRATIC mistake by officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has resulted in a delay in the transfer of a significant Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case registered in city. The case is related to threatening phone calls made to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. In an attempt to transfer the UAPA offence, initially registered at the Dhantoli police station, the NIA filed applications before the Special NIA courts in Bengaluru and later in Nagpur. However, both courts rejected the applications and directed the NIA to file the request before the Supreme Court, according to a senior police official. However, the NIA is yet to file the application in the Apex Court, leaving the UAPA case in the hands of the city police.

 

Seeking more time, the city police recently requested an additional 50 days before the Special NIA court at Nagpur to file the chargesheet. The prime accused in the case involving the threatening phone calls, identified as Jayesh Pujari alias Kantha, was apprehended by the Nagpur police from a jail in Belagavi, Karnataka. Following the case registered at the Dhantoli police station, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification instructing the NIA to investigate the matter. The offence was initially registered in Bengaluru, and the Mumbai Unit of the NIA has been assigned to handle the investigation. It was expected that the NIA would assume responsibility for the UAPA case registered at the Dhantoli police station. In late May, a special investigation team led by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) was stationed in Nagpur to pursue the case. However, due to delays in the procedural documentation, further progress in the investigation has been hindered.