ED Questions Cooker‑Blast Suspect in Bengaluru Central Prison Over Foreign Funding

BENGALURU Sleuths from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have interrogated key suspects lodged in Bengaluru’s Central Prison in connection with the 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast case. Among those questioned was Mohammad Shariq, the main accused in the incident.

Sources indicate that the ED focused its questioning on alleged foreign funding linked to the suspects. Investigators are examining financial transactions, including overseas deposits, suspected to be used for financing terror-related activities in India.

The probe is being jointly conducted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the ED. While the NIA is investigating the broader terror conspiracy, the ED’s role centers on tracking the money trail and identifying foreign sources of funding. Officials confirmed that court permission had been secured to carry out the prison interrogation.

Background: A Failed Terror Plot

The cooker blast occurred on November 19, 2022, in a moving auto-rickshaw in Mangaluru — a region known for its communal sensitivity. Initial findings suggested that Mohammad Shariq had intended to target a function attended by the then Chief Minister, Basavaraj Bommai. When that plan failed, Shariq allegedly aimed to detonate the device at a children’s festival organized by an RSS-affiliated institution. However, the bomb prematurely exploded during transit.

Karnataka Police declared the incident a terror act, and the case was officially handed over to the NIA on November 25, 2022.

An unknown terror outfit calling itself the Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) claimed responsibility for the attack and issued threats of further violence. The group also directed a warning at then-ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Kumar, who was overseeing the investigation in Mangaluru, stating ominously: “Your joy will be short-lived.”

Political Controversy

The incident stirred political tensions in the state. D.K. Shivakumar, then President of the Karnataka Congress, questioned the rapid classification of Shariq as a terrorist, suggesting that the BJP-led government used the incident to distract from the Voter ID scam involving fake identity cards. “Was this like 26/11 or Pulwama?” Shivakumar asked publicly at the time, drawing sharp criticism.

Conspiracy to Spark Communal Unrest

Subsequent investigations revealed that the accused were allegedly planning a series of bombings to stoke communal tensions and falsely implicate Hindu organisations — with the broader aim of initiating a national debate around “Hindu terrorism.”

Officials say the cooker bomb was built to carry out a mass-casualty event and was part of a larger conspiracy to destabilize the coastal region and polarize society.

Awaiting Further Developments

Authorities say further details and official confirmation from the ED regarding the foreign funding probe are expected soon.