Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA)

October 19, 2022

The Indian Government recently disbanded the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) that was set up to investigate the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Key facts

Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency (MDMA) was set up in 1998 for two years based on the recommendations of the MC Jain Commission.
The MC Jain Commission came across various leads, including bank transactions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) frontal outfits before and after the assassination and movement of arms meant for the militant group during that period.
Hence, the NDMA was set up under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), having officers from various central security agencies like the Intelligence Bureau, RAW, Enforcement Directorate, and the Department of Revenue Intelligence.
It was initially headed by a deputy inspector general of police-ranked officer before being handed over to the Deputy Inspector General of Police.
It was given extensions each year but failed to make any breakthroughs in the investigation of a wider conspiracy into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
The order to disband the NDMA was issued by the Central Government in May 2022 and the pending investigations were transferred to a different unit of the CBI.
Over the years, the agency had sent 24 Letters Rogatory to countries like Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia asking about various aspects of the case, including bank transactions.
Foreign countries responded to over 20 of these requests and only a few are remaining.
Over 24 years of its functioning, the NDMA did not record any startling new findings about the conspiracy.

Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister of India at the age of 40 after his mother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984. His assassination occurred because of a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991. It was carried out by an LTTE member along with the Khalistan Liberation Force and the National Council of Khalistan.

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