Srinagar, Dec 31: The year 2025 proved to be a landmark year for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which registered a series of significant successes in counter-terrorism and organised crime investigations, while maintaining an impressive conviction rate of over 92 percent.
Among the most notable achievements was the extradition of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks plotter Tahawwur Rana from the United States in April. Rana’s extradition marked a major breakthrough in the long-running investigation into the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed 166 lives and shook the nation.
The agency also achieved success in high-profile terror probes, including substantial progress in the Pahalgam terror attack case. The NIA filed a chargesheet against seven accused, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliate The Resistance Front, which was named as a terrorist organisation. Three terrorists involved in religion-based targeted killings in the case were neutralised by security forces.
In the Delhi Red Fort area car blast case, the agency arrested nine accused within two months of the attack, which killed 11 people and injured several others. Another key development was the deportation of gangster Anmol Bishnoi from the US. Bishnoi, brother and close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi, had been absconding since 2022 and is now facing trial in terror-linked conspiracy cases.
During 2025, the NIA registered 55 cases and arrested 276 accused across categories, including jihadi terrorism, Left Wing Extremism (LWE), North East insurgency, Khalistan-linked cases, organised crime and other offences. A total of 320 accused were chargesheeted, while the agency secured 66 convictions. As part of its crackdown, 12 properties and assets linked to terrorists and criminals were attached.
The agency made notable strides against LWE, chargesheeting 34 cadres and leaders as part of the Centre’s push to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026. It also intensified action against ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Khalistani networks and insurgent groups such as ULFA-I and NSCN-IM.
In addition, the NIA made progress in cases related to human trafficking, including ‘dunki’ routes, cyber slavery in Southeast Asia, fake currency rackets and targeted killings across several states.
On the capacity-building front, the agency introduced new databases on looted government weapons and organised crime networks, conducted advanced cryptocurrency investigation workshops, and expanded its infrastructure to strengthen its ability to combat evolving terror and crime threats.