Bengaluru Cafe Blast Case Transferred To NIA As No Arrests Made Yet By Karnataka Police, BJP Accuses Congress Of Hiding Facts

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has transferred the investigation of the Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which will take over the case starting today (4 March), as per a report by Hindustan Times.

This comes after the opposition criticised the Siddaramaiah-led government, accusing it of withholding information about the blast.

Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka stated, “The Congress government is only trying to hide facts in the Rameshwaram cafe incident. The government did not reveal even a single piece of information about the culprits. They are trying to change the FSL report. This happened also in the incident where ‘Pakistan zindabad’ slogans were raised in Vidhana Soudha.”

The blast, which occurred at a popular eatery in Whitefield on Friday, was being investigated by the Bengaluru Police and Central Crime Branch, but no arrests have been made yet.

During the incident, at least 10 people were injured and are currently receiving treatment at various private hospitals.

The Karnataka government has announced that it will bear the cost of treatment for the injured.

CM Siddaramaiah visited the blast site and met with the injured at the hospital. He chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials, directing them to ensure a thorough and fair investigation into the case.

According to CCTV footage, the suspect, believed to be 28 to 30 years old, entered the cafe during lunchtime, purchased a coupon for Rava idli, but left without consuming it, leaving behind a bag containing an IED.

The Bengaluru Police have released snapshots from the CCTV footage showing the suspect's face covered with a mask and a cap.

Raghavendra Rao, co-founder and CEO of the Rameshwaram Cafe, called for strict action from the Union and state governments to prevent such incidents in the future. He dismissed the idea of business rivalry as a motive, stating that such harmful activities are unlikely within the business circle.

Also read: 'Pakistan Zindabad': FSL Report Says Video Original; Congress Defends Itself Amid Heavy Criticism