A year after the National Investigation Agency boasted of a 100% conviction rate, an investigation by The Wire finds that prolonged detention, near-automatic bail denials and pressure from investigators are pushing dozens of accused, mostly Muslims, to plead guilty before their trials have even begun.
The Wire’s investigation reveals that prolonged detentions, coupled with near-certain bail denials, often push accused individuals to plead guilty. This move is not necessarily an outcome of “guilt” in many of these situations, but a desperate attempt to escape from an interminable legal process.
https://thewire.in/rights/nia-convictions-guilty-pleas
by Sukanya Shantha
10/12/2025
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Years Without Trial, Then Pushing Guilty Pleas: Understanding the NIA’s Playbook
Accused persons, their lawyers and even a former NIA prosecutor spoke to The Wire about why so many NIA cases end with guilty pleas – and what is lost behind the glossy numbers of high conviction rates.
https://thewire.in/rights/nia-plead-guilty-playbook
by Sukanya Shantha
11/12/2025