The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on 29th November filed the chargesheet in the Islamic State (IS)-sponspored cooker blast case that took place in Mangaluru, Karnataka, last year. The NIA chargesheet has revealed that several prominent religious places including Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev-led Isha Foundation were on ISIS target, as pointed out by Republic TV. The terror accused used fake Hindu names and identity cards while carrying out the terror conspiracy, as per the NIA chargesheet.
On 19th November, an auto-rickshaw exploded in Mangaluru, Karnataka. The auto driver, Purshottham, and one passenger later identified as Mohammed Shariq suffered burn injuries due to the explosion of the cooker bomb in the vehicle. It was revealed that the 24-year-old Mohammed Shariq was carrying a pressure cooker bomb in the auto-rickshaw. The NIA chargesheet reveals that he had planned to deploy the IED at Kadri Manjunatha Temple, Mangaluru, with the aim to create terror among the Hindu community but the low intensify bomb accidentally exploded on the way.
Shariq was using a fake Aadhaar card with the Hindu name Premraj. He was already on the radar of the investigating agency for months. Following the incident, a case was registered at Kankanady police station and later on the case was transferred to the NIA.
The NIA chargesheet in this case details the connections of the Mangaluru terror plot with the Shivamogga trial blast in which the Shivamogga rural police department filed the initial complaint on 19th September 2022. Incidentally, both Mohammad Shariq and Syed Yasin have been chargesheeted by NIA in both the terror cases – Shivamogga trial blast case and Mangaluru cooker blast case.
According to a report in Republic TV, several religious places and tourist spots were on the radar of Mohammed Shariq who is the accused in Mangaluru cooker blast case. For this, he had conducted recce in Karnataka and across South India.
The ongoing NIA investigation in the Mangaluru cooker blast case has revealed that Shariq conducted reccee in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka to select a target. As per the findings of the investigation, from 31st August to 2nd September, he did recce in Nilgiris. During those three days, he stayed at a lodge in Gudalur.
He had conducted a reccee in the Nilgiris hills, Ooty, Packer Waterfalls, Needle Rock View point and the Saint Sebastian church. Using the identity of a Hindu man named Arun Gouli, Shariq later shifted to Tamil Nadu.
On 2nd September, he left Gudalur to Metupalyam where he booked a lodge in the name of Arun Kumar Gouli. There he conducted reccee for two days. The investigation revealed that he went completely off the radar and had also switched off his mobile phone.
ISIS had a target on the Isha Foundation in Coimbatore
Afterward, the Manguluru cooker blast accused Shariq reached Coimbatore where he stayed in a dormitory near the bus stand. While staying there, he conducted reccee till 7th September. For four days, he was at the Isha Foundation where he took several pictures with the statue of Adiyogi.
In the course of the investigation, it was revealed that Shariq had uploaded an image from the Isha Foundation with the statue of Adiyogi in the background on his WhatsApp profile. Later, he discarded his old SIM card and purchased a new SIM from a private service provider.
From Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Kerala, Shariq did recee of various religious places as well as tourist spots
As per the NIA chargesheet, on 7th September, Shariq left Coimbatore and reached Nagercoil via Madurai a day later. After conducting recee there, he reached Kanyakumari via Madurai where he assumed a new identity of a Hindu man named Prem Kumar.
As per the agency, the terror accused Shariq rented a room in a lodge near the bus stand. From 8th September to 13th September, he conducted reccee at Kanyakumari Beach, Kanika Parameshwari Temple, Vivekananda Statue, and Sunset View Point. He also went to Manakudi Beach View Point and a private Mart.
On the 13th of September, Shariq left for Kerala and reached Aluva where he booked a room at a lodge in Ernakulam. Under the identity of Prem Raj, he stayed there for the next 6 days til 18th September.
Based on the NIA chargesheet, Republic TV reported that in Kerala, Shariq conducted reccee of densely populated spots like bus stands, malls and theatres. He also took photographs and videos of the Kochi airport, railway station, Lulu mall, marine drive, Wellington and major beaches. As per the agency, he send all the digital data to his handler.
Afterwards on 17th September, he purchased a railway ticket to travel to Maharashtra’s Sholapur via Pune express. However, he canceled his journey at the last moment and didn’t board the train. After cancelling his journey, he stayed back in Kerala and searched for a house in Karnataka via online platforms.
NIA chargesheet in Mangaluru cooker blast case reveals its connections with the Shivamogga trial blast case
On 15th August 2022, a person named Prem Singh was stabbed to death in Shivamogga. Following the incident, a case was registered at Doddapet police station. Later on, two accused Zabiullah and Nadeem Faisal were arrested in this stabbing case.
Mohammad Shariq who was also involved in the stabbing case went absconding. After abscounding from Shivamogga, he went to Ulaibettu in Mangaluru where he stayed with Ansar, who was with him in jail in an earlier case.
Both of them were earlier arrested in the Mangaluru “Lashkar Zindabad” case. While staying in Mangaluru, Shariq got in touch with Syed Yasin.
Incidentally, both Mohammad Shariq and Syed Yasin have been chargesheeted by NIA in both the terror cases – Shivamogga trial blast case and Mangaluru cooker blast case.
Click here to read the NIA chargesheet in the Shivamogga trial blast case. The accused charge-sheeted in the case include Mohamed Shariq (25), Maaz Muneer Ahmed (23), Syed Yasin (22), Reeshaan Thajuddin Sheikh (22), Huzair Farhan Baig (22), Mazin Abdul Rahman (22), Nadeem Ahmed K A (22), Zabiulla (32) and Nadeem Faizal N (27).
Based on NIA chargesheet, Republic TV reported that Shariq was in constant touch with his handler, a person who goes by the contact name ‘Colonel’, and they were talking through Vicker Me, Signal and a wire app.
From 15th-19th August, Shariq stayed in Mangaluru and on 20th August morning, he returned to Theerthahalli. Subsequently, he began gathering matchsticks to amass phosphorus and instructed Syed Yasin to do a similar task for the Shivamogga trial blast and Mangaluru cooker blast.
Meanwhile, the police intensified their search for the accused involved in the Prem Singh stabbing case in Shivamogga. On examining Zabiullah and Nadeem Faisal’s mobile phones, they found links to the Islamic State (ISIS) on Zabiullah’s device.
On 28th August, Shariq came to know about these developments and immediately informed Colonel and left the town on his instruction. However, before that, Shariq had met Syed Yasin near the Nadti river bridge in Theerthahalli. He also handed over the phosphorus powder to Yasin who gave him a time relay circuit, which had been assembled for the trial blast. Afterward, Shariq left for Bengaluru, as reported by Republic TV based on NIA chargesheet.
After getting instructions from Shariq and online handler Colonel, Syed Yasin conducted the trial blast on the banks of the Tunga river in Shivamogga using an improvised explosive device or IED.
The accused conducted the trial blast for several reasons including –
1) To check if the IED functioned well without any problems and to see the intensity of the explosions.
2) The accused wanted to instil confidence in youth who were being radicalised by the outfit by posting videos of the trial explosion on social media.
3) The accused were getting ready for future attacks, like a Wolf attack (attacking VIPs and VVIPs), or using heavy vehicles to attack places, similar to a suicide attack.
As per the agency’s chargesheet, ‘Colonel’ instructed Shariq to carry out the trial blasts, with Shariq supplying the raw materials. Syed Yasin, arrested in connection with the trial blast, assembled the bomb and prepared a timer. Following Syed Yasin’s arrest, Shariq went into hiding. In the last week of August, Shariq went missing after visiting Mysuru, where he spent a few days staying at a lodge. While in Mysuru, Shariq adopted a new identity and presented a fake Aadhaar card of a Hindu man named Arun Kumar Gouli.
Meanwhile, during the investigation, Syed Yasin revealed details about the entire nexus and operation. He also spoke about the ISIS ideologies and its aim to establish an Islamic Caliphate by 2047.
Terror financing and funding through Dark web and cryptocurrency
The NIA chargesheet submitted before the court revealed that Shariq and ISIS terror modules down south were funding terror activities through the dark web and cryptocurrency while using fake identities. The investigation findings have revealed that the Mangaluru cooker blast accuse Shariq had been getting online payments via regular transactions in cryptocurrency to the account.
As per the probing agency, an account in the name of fictitious Saral Devi was being used to deposit money for terror activities. The handler ‘Colonel’ had dispatched an ATM card under the name of Saral Devi. Shariq obtained the ATM card through Maaz Muneer Ahmed, a co-accused in the Shivamogga trial blast case. It is only after the Shivamogga trial blast case that Shariq started using this ATM card.
Funds were being directed to Shariq through a FINO Payments Bank Rupay Debit/ATM Card and associated mobile number that had been fraudulently acquired. Mohamed Shariq received the said bank debit card and SIM card through his associate Maaz Muneer Ahmed.
While doing reccee in Mangaluru, Mohamed Shariq lost his mobile phone. His online handler ‘Colonel’ then arranged him another FINO Bank ATM card along with a linked SIM card of mobile number via DTDC courier on 25.10.2022 which were also obtained fraudulently. The card was in the name of Pinki Bai Ahirwar, a resident of Madhya Pradesh.
Further, Mohamed Shariq registered the said mobile number on the MEXC Crypto platform. Through this platform, he received funds from the online handler ‘Colonel’ with the intention of advancing the terror activities of the banned terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) within India, as per the NIA investigation.
After receiving funds in Crypto currency, Shariq converted into fiat money and Indian Rupee (INR) with the help of Crypto traders on Telegram. He used to transfer cryptocurrency to the accounts of these traders, who reciprocated by transferring INR to the accounts managed by Mohamed Shariq. Funds were also directed to the accounts of point-of-sale (POS) agents in Mysuru, with their UPI details provided to cryptocurrency traders by Mohamed Shariq.
After paying commission to these POS agents, Shariq used to receive cash. As per the agency, on 18th November 2022, a day before the blast, Shariq converted Crypto currency worth Rs.41,680/- which he withdrew from the POS agents by paying commission. The purpose of this withdrawal was to use the funds during the absconding period after deploying the IED.
On 12th December 2022, the agency conducted searches at the residence of witness Akshay Raj @Royal Sonu. He was a member of Telegram Groups “Bitcoin Mall”, “BTCEmpire”, “BTC World” and “Supermarket BTC Mall that converted Crypto currencies into Indian Rupees for Shariq. During the search, the agency seized his digital gadgets.
The investigation also unveiled that Shariq and co-accused Syed Yasin used Binance and WazirX cryptocurrency exchanges. The analysis of the data gathered from Binance and WazirX revealed the financial transactions between them.
