FIA's cybercrime wing stands defunct as govt constitutes new probe agency

FIA ceases to handle electronic crime cases after establishment of National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency

Ayaz Akbar Yousafzai

May 03, 2024

Representational image of people wearing balaclavas are silhouetted as they pose with a laptops in front of a screen projected with the word 'cyber crime' and binary code, in this picture illustration. — Reuters/File

NCCIA gets staff, inquiries, probes and liabilities of cybercrime wing.
Staff of cybercrime wing will work till appointnent of NCCIA staff.
New agency will directly register all cases related to cybercrime.

In a major development, the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing stood defunct as the federal government established a new agency, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), for probing electronic crimes.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication issued an official notification for the abolition of the FIA’s cyber-crime wing, saying that the federal government took the decision in the exercise of powers conferred by section 51 read with section 29 of the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2016.

“There shall hereby stand established the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to exercise jurisdiction under the Act [Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2016] and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) shall cease to perform functions as designated investigation agency under the Act,” the statement read.

The ministry said that the aII personnel, cases, inquiries, investigations, assets, Iiabilities, rights, obligations, privileges and matters related to the defunct cybercrime wing are transferred to the NCCIA.

"The NCCIA shall consist of a director general, additional director general, directors, additional directors, deputy, directors, assistant, directors and such other officers, as the director general may determine," the notification read.

However, the staff members of the defunct cybercrime wing of the FIA performing functions under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Investigation Rules, 2018 or under any other instrument, will shall continue to perform their duties for a period of one year, till appointnent of persons in the service of the NCCIA on regurar basis.

Moreover, the new agency will directly register all the cases related to cybercrime and it will have its own offices serving as police stations for the filing of complaints.