Mangaluru blast case: Probe handed over to NIA

BENGALURU: The state government formally handed over investigation into the Mangaluru blast case to National Investigation Agency (NIA) by issuing an order on Thursday. State home minister Araga Jnanendra said in a statement that the government has written to the Union ministry of home affairs, recommending an NIA investigation into the case.
Sources say, in his letter to the Union home secretary, the additional chief secretary of the state home department said state police had invoked Sections 16, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.“As this is a scheduled offence under Section 6 of the NIA Act, 2008, the matter is being submitted for further necessary action,” the ACS wrote. State DGP&IG, Praveen Sood, had said NIA and other central agencies were already working with state police on the case. The explosion in an auto on November 19 injured the passenger and the driver. Police said it was an act of terror and identified the passenger, Mohammed Shariq, as the perpetrator. .