Bengaluru cafe blast case handed over to NIA: Sources (Ld)

Bengaluru, March 4 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has handed over the probe into the blast at a cafe in Bengaluru to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), said sources on Monday.

The sources confirmed that following the directions from the MHA, the NIA has already filed an FIR in connection with the case. The agency sleuths will investigate the probe in coordination with the state police.

With NIA taking over the case, the state government will now have to hand over the documents and findings of the probe conducted so far by the special wing CCB of the state police. Sources said these will be handed over by Tuesday.

The sleuths of NIA, RAW and NSG have visited the blast site and gathered inputs.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said that his government was contemplating to handover the case to the NIA if it was found necessary. The BJP had been demanding the handing over of the blast case to the NIA and had slammed the government for treating the incident “casually”.

The incident took place on March 1. At least ten persons were injured in the incident, and one of them, a woman, is being treated in the ICU.

–IANS

mka/dpb