NIA bid to join ED’s probe into 2022 Coimbatore blast sparks turf battle | India News

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) last week attempted to insert itself in an Enforcement Directorate (ED) interrogation of key suspects in the 2022 Coimbatore bomb blast by an Islamic State-inspired module, a move which was turned down.The October 23, 2022 vehicle-borne explosion outside the Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Thirukovil temple in Coimbatore killed only the suicide bomber, Jameesha Mubeen. The NIA, which is investigating the case since then, has arrested over a dozen individuals .The ED in June filed a money laundering case in the case as it received information on the financing activities of the module involved. It approached a Chennai special court seeking to interrogate four accused persons including key masterminds, Umar Faaruq and Sheikh Hidayatullah. The duo is lodged in Tiruchirappalli central prison. The ED had sought to question two others-- Aboo Hanifa and Pavas Rahman, both lodged in Puzhal central jail.Also Read | 23 killed, several injured in blast at Tamil Nadu firecracker unitED informed the court that Hidayathullah and Faaruq orchestrated a fake Covid-19 vaccination certificate scam during 2021-22 to generate proceeds of crime for terror activities, which was facilitated by Pavas Rahman and another accused Sharan Mariappan (out on bail) while Aboo Hanifa routed the proceeds. Hidayathullah was allegedly in been touch with the April 21, 2019 Sri Lanka bombings mastermind Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim.The funds were used for procuring explosive materials and other resources for the Coimbatore blast.The financial crimes probe agency informed the court that the interrogation of the accused is necessary to “unearth the complete modus operandi and money trail”. It sought four days of questioning for Hidayattulah and Faaruq; and six days for Hanifa and Rahman.NIA, which is the predicate offence agency in the case, while calling ED a ‘third party’, argued in the court that it has “no objection for the ED to interrogate and record the statements of the accused persons” provided that its chief investigating officer (CIO) along with his team is “given access to the interrogation session” so that any new facts disclosed during the course of investigation shall be used to analyze whether any fresh inputs emerge from NIA’s point of view as part of further investigation in this case. It further claimed that its presence won’t be detrimental to ED’s investigations.Also Read | NIA in action after ISIS-linked car bomb blast outside Coimbatore Temple | DetailsWhile accepting ED’s plea, the court ruled in its order on September 10 that it was “not inclined to permit” NIA to join the ED interrogation.A senior government official, who didn’t want to be named, said “Indian criminal procedure does not contain a provision which expressly authorises two independent investigation agencies to jointly interrogate an accused, especially when they have separate first information reports (FIRs). It can only happen either through a court order or orders are issued officially by the state or central government a joint team, special investigation team (SIT), etc, which is not there so far in the Coimbatore blast probe”.“We have seen this happen unofficially so many times,” he added.A second official said, “the NIA could have always asked ED later to share its interrogation details unofficially”.