MHA designates new special NIA court in Mumbai for Maharashtra cases
New Delhi, July 15
The Ministry of Home Affairs has designated a new special court for the trial of offences investigated by the National Investigation Agency across Maharashtra.
The ministry took the decision after consultation with the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and the government of Maharashtra, as mandated under the provisions of the NIA Act.
The MHA made the announcement through a notification issued last week, designating Court Room No. 26 of the City Civil and Sessions Court in Mumbai as the special court for conducting trials of scheduled offences investigated by the NIA.
The court has been notified exclusively for cases probed by the central anti-terror agency under Section 11(1) of the Act.
The ministry further clarified that the jurisdiction of the newly designated special NIA court will extend across the entire state of Maharashtra. This means all NIA-investigated scheduled offences arising anywhere in the state will be tried before the notified court. The notification was issued by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division of the MHA.
Special courts are constituted by the MHA to ensure the expeditious trial of offences investigated by the NIA, including terrorism-related and other scheduled offences under the NIA Act. The designation of a dedicated court aims to facilitate the efficient handling of such cases while providing a uniform judicial forum for NIA investigations within the state.
The notification, dated July 11, 2026, was issued under Section 11 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. It supersedes an earlier notification issued on December 12, 2019, while safeguarding actions already taken or omitted under the previous notification.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some action to streamline NIA cases in Maharashtra. But I hope the court has enough security and trained judges for such sensitive matters. Also, what about victims' families – will they get a hearing without traveling all the way to Mumbai? For Mumbai folks it's okay, but for someone from Nagpur or Aurangabad, it's a big challenge.
As an observer, I find this interesting. India's legal system is adapting to handle anti-terror cases more efficiently. The NIA has done good work in cracking down on terror financing and sleeper cells. Let's see if this special court speeds up convictions. 🇮🇳
This is positive for national security. However, one court for the entire Maharashtra state? The pendency in sessions courts is already huge. Hope the MHA and Bombay High Court ensure enough judicial officers are assigned. Also, we need to ensure that accused persons get fair trials and proper legal aid – that's equally important. 👩⚖️
Good decision by MHA. But I have one concern – why only one special court for the entire Maharashtra? The state is huge with many districts. Cases from far-off places like Chandrapur or Dhule will face logistical issues. Could have at least set up zonal courts for faster justice delivery. Still, better than before. Baby steps!
The NIA has been doing a commendable job, but the judicial pipeline was always the bottleneck. This court room in Mumbai should help. I just wish they had considered Pune or Nagpur also – but maybe the existing sessions courts there can handle preliminary matters. Let's see how this plays out for high-profile terror cases. 💪
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