Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal received the letter from Home Minister P. Chidambaram regarding the setting of NCTC in the Country stating that Central Government intention was to continue to work with State Governments in order to fight the terrorism with an iron hand. He said that scope and functions of the NCTC will be discussed in details in meetings of the Union Home Secretary with Directors General of Police and Heads of the Anti Terrorists organisations/forces of the State Governments before taking next steps on the NCTC issue.
Union Home Minister has stated in the letter that NCTC has been conferred with minimum powers that are required for any counter terrorism body and added that Intelligence Bureau shall be nodal agency for counter intelligence and counter terrorism agency NCTC and it has been placed within the intelligence bureau. He told that the arrested person by NCTC will be produced before nearest police station and the SHO of the Police Station would take further action in accordance with the provisions of the Cr P.C.
Chief Minister said that as per the letter of the Home Minister that power to arrest and search are bare minimum that would be necessary for officers engaged in counter terrorism operation. NCTC was set up on the recommendations of second Administrative Reform Commission which had recommended that multi agency centre should be converted in National Centre for Counter Terrorism with personnel drawn from different intelligence and security agencies.
