Maharaja’s to offer Arabic, Urdu lessons to NIA officials

Soon, sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will walk into the government autonomous Ernakulam Maharaja’s College campus here to learn Arabic and Urdu.

The country’s premier investigating agency has requested the college management to conduct certificate courses in these languages, especially to help its investigating officers decipher content in Arabic and Urdu while probing various terror cases.

The Hindu has learnt that the academic council of the college, which discussed the proposal recently, has given its nod to the request made by the country’s premier investigating agency. “We are planning to offer certificate courses in Arabic and Urdu to the NIA officials in evening batches from the beginning of 2016. The academic council has entrusted the Arabic Department to hold discussions with the NIA authorities here to finalise the modalities,” said Dr. Liyaqat Ali, academic co-ordinator and faculty member of Arabic Department.

To meet expenses

“The NIA will meet the expenses required for running the course. Experts in the Arabic Department will handle Urdu classes. The aim is to help the investigating officers gain basic knowledge in Arabic and Urdu, which will help them understand Arabic documents and writings while investigating the cases,” he added.

The language barrier was a major challenge for the NIA officials while probing the case related to the Iranian dhow that was intercepted off the Kerala coast recently. They were also finding it difficult to get the services of translators for decoding the content in passports and letters seized from the accused in terror cases.

The proposed certificate course will be offered to the officials attached to the Kochi branch of the investigation agency. The Arabic Department is expected to finalise the course content for the certificate course by December end. The college is ready to offer the course from January.

The proposal by the NIA was reported under the ‘other matters permitted by the Chair’ on the agenda of the academic council meeting held on September 15.

To help its officers decipher content in Arabic and Urdu while probing terror cases