Explained | The functioning of the National Investigation Agency

The story so far: The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe into the June 28 killing of tailor Kanhaiyya Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur over a social media post supporting suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nupur Sharma. The list includes the Explosive Substances Act, Atomic Energy Act, Unlawful Activities Act, Anti-Hijacking Act, Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, SAARC Convention Act, Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems Act and relevant offences under the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and the Information Technology Act. The law under which the agency operates extends to the whole of India and also applies to Indian citizens outside the country; persons in the service of the government wherever they are posted; persons on ships and aircraft registered in India wherever they may be; persons who commit a scheduled offence beyond India against the Indian citizen or affecting the interest of India. As provided under Section 6 of the Act, State governments can refer the cases pertaining to the scheduled offences registered at any police station to the Central government for NIA investigation. Where the Central government finds that a scheduled offence has been committed at any place outside India to which this Act extends, it can also direct the NIA to register the case and take up investigation.