Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 7: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bengaluru zonal office, has provisionally attached a bank balance of Rs 29,176 in the account of Syed Yasin, one of the key accused in the Mangaluru auto-rickshaw blast case, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
In a press release, the ED stated that the movable property, in the form of a bank deposit, was attached as part of the investigation into terror funding connected to the November 19, 2022, auto-rickshaw blast which occurred within the Kankanady police station limits.
The ED initiated its probe following an FIR by the Kankanady police on a complaint from auto-rickshaw driver K Purushottama. The case was later re-registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). As Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908 are scheduled offences under Section 2(1)(y) of the PMLA, 2002, an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) dated November 25, 2022, was filed to begin money laundering investigations.
The ED stated, “The charge sheet filed in this case reveals that the auto-rickshaw blast at Mangaluru was planned by ISIS, a terrorist organisation, with the aim to spread terror and wage war against the government of India and to threaten the integrity and sovereignty of India.”
According to the ED, investigations revealed that an ISIS online handler known as ‘Colonel’ had trained the main accused, Mohammad Shariq alias Premraj, and others using Wickr, Telegram, and other encrypted platforms, instructing them on how to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The handler also arranged funds using mule accounts and cryptocurrency.
The statement said, “The cryptocurrencies were at times encashed by Syed Yasin and Mohammad Shariq through PoS agents for a commission. In some instances, the encashed funds were routed through fraudulently opened mule accounts in FINO Payments Bank.”
The probe uncovered that Rs 2,86,008 was deposited by cryptocurrency dealers into these mule accounts, and an additional Rs 41,680 was withdrawn as cash from PoS agents.
“These amounts were utilised to purchase materials online for assembling the IED, rent hideouts in Mysuru city and other places, and to conduct reconnaissance at various locations across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka,” the ED said.
The accused had allegedly intended to plant the bomb at a temple, but it exploded prematurely in the auto-rickshaw due to a timer error—set for 9 seconds instead of 90 minutes.
The ED further revealed that Maaz Munir, another accused, had provided FINO Payments Bank mule account details to Mohammad Shariq to help receive the payments from the online handler.
In a related development, Rs 39,228 in cash, recovered from Mohammad Shariq’s bag at a private hospital by Karnataka police, has been seized by the NIA. Meanwhile, Rs 29,176 from Syed Yasin’s account has now been officially attached under PMLA.
All the arrested individuals are currently in judicial custody, and further investigation is ongoing, the ED confirmed.