J&K DGP reviews working of SIA during surprise visit

Jammu, May 29 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain on Wednesday visited the State Investigation Agency (SIA) here, conducting a comprehensive review of its operations and its GPS anklet tracker technology.

The DGP also emphasised SIA’s significant role in investigating terror cases and instilling a fear of law enforcement in terrorists and their associates, a spokesperson said.

During his surprise visit to the SIA headquarters here, the DGP reviewed the agency’s operations and interacted with the stationed officials, they added.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Deepika briefed him about the improvements made in the work environment of the investigating body, a police spokesperson said.

She highlighted the filing of charge sheets by SIA in significant terror financing and narco-terrorism cases and introduction of the anklet monitoring programme pioneered by the CID wing.

The anklet monitoring technology, used as a stringent bail condition, remotely tracks the movement of offenders under UAPA, NDPS, and other serious criminal charges, making Jammu and Kashmir police the first in India to implement such a system, the spokesman said.

The DGP agreed to SIA officials’ proposal that those granted bail in connection with terrorism, secessionism, narcotics, land mafia, and gangsterism should bear the cost of the anklet, which is around Rs 50,000, instead of the public, he said.

The agency focuses on property attachments, freezing bank accounts, executing non-bailable warrants, and issuing lookout circulars to exert social and financial pressure on terrorists.