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ED sources indicated that Tuesday's questioning was aimed at tracing the exact source of funds encashed by the accused (File Photo)
Days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered a case against a key accused in the Mangaluru pressure cooker blast case, Mohammad Shariq, its officials interrogated him on Tuesday on the financial links and funding mechanisms allegedly used for terrorist activities. He is lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru.
On August 5, ED’s Bengaluru Zonal Office provisionally attached Rs 29,176 kept in the bank account of Syed Yasin, another main accused in the case, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
A bomb allegedly intended for the Dharmasthala Manjunatha Swamy Temple exploded prematurely in the autorickshaw on November 19, 2022, owing to an error—the timer was mistakenly set for nine seconds instead of 90 minutes. Shariq and the autorickshaw driver were injured in the blast.
According to the NIA investigation in the case, the autorickshaw blast was part of an ISIS conspiracy to spread terror and wage war against India, threatening the nation’s integrity and sovereignty. The investigation further revealed that an ISIS online handler known as “Colonel” provided training to Shariq (alias Premraj) and other accused through encrypted messaging platforms like Wickr and Telegram.
The handler allegedly instructed them about manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IED) and arranged funding through cryptocurrency transactions and mule accounts.
Yasin and Shariq allegedly encashed these cryptocurrencies through point-of-sale (PoS) agents for commission, routing funds through fraudulently opened accounts in FINO Payments Bank.
ED sources indicated that Tuesday’s questioning was aimed at tracing the exact source of funds encashed by the accused. Investigations show that cryptocurrency dealers deposited Rs 2,86,008 into mule accounts, while Rs 41,680 was collected in cash from PoS agents.
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These funds allegedly financed online purchases of IED components, rental of hideouts in Mysuru, and reconnaissance operations across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
The ED continues investigating the complete financial network supporting this terror operation, working to uncover all funding sources and accomplices involved in the conspiracy.
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