The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to take over the probe into the Mangaluru blast case following directions from the Centre, Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said in a statement on Friday.
On November 19, an explosion was reported in an auto-rickshaw in Mangaluru, injuring the driver and the passenger, Mohammed Shariq (24), also the prime accused in the case.
In the statement, Jnanendra said the state had recommended an NIA probe into the bomb blast, which the Union ministry of home affairs accepted and directed the agency to launch an investigation.
“With regard to the incident occurred within the Kankanadi police station limits, the state government had taken a decision to recommend an NIA probe based on the evidences and other information collected during the preliminary investigation,” read the statement.
In the order, which Jnanendra’s office shared, undersecretary in the home ministry Vipul Alok said: “The central government is of the opinion that a scheduled offence under the NIA Act, 2008, has been committed and having regard to the gravity of the offence and its repercussions on national security, it is required to be investigated by the NIA in accordance with the NIA Act, 2008.”
The order added: “Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred under sub-section (5) of Section 6 read with Section 8 of the NIA Act, 2008, the central government hereby directs the NIA to take up investigation of the aforesaid case.” A senior police officer said Karnataka police have started the work to transfer the case to the agency.
