A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bengaluru on Monday sentenced Mohammed Sharik, the prime accused in the 2022 Mangaluru cook bomb blast case, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The incident took place on November 19, 2022, when an explosive device hidden inside a pressure cooker exploded inside an auto rickshaw near Kankanadi in Mangaluru. There were no injuries, although Shariq himself was seriously injured. He was arrested immediately after leaving the hospital.
Investigators said the explosion occurred accidentally due to a faulty timer, which prevented a larger accident. The National Investigation Agency described the act as part of a conspiracy to threaten national security.
The punishment was imposed under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 121A, 122 and 326, along with charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The court issued its order after Shariq appeared via video and asked for leniency, explaining that he had a daughter and had no family member. The court considered this request while issuing the ruling.
In March, the court accepted Shariq’s guilty plea. He had initially pleaded not guilty when he was charged in April 2024, but later reversed his position in December 2025 by filing an application under Section 229 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court granted the request on March 26 and set a new hearing to register the petition after the charges were refiled.
Investigators said Shariq, who is from Shivamogga district, was linked to a network described as an ISIS-inspired unit operating in parts of Karnataka state. He was wanted in connection with a September 2022 case involving alleged testing of explosive devices, officials said.
Authorities have also linked the unit to previous incidents. Sharik was previously arrested in 2020 in an anti-national graffiti case in Mangaluru and was later released on bail.
Police investigations into the relevant cases indicated that members of the group carried out test explosions along the banks of the Tonga River and had materials used to assemble improvised explosive devices. Officials said the seized items and digital evidence point to an ideological alliance with ISIS, although previous investigations indicated there was no confirmed direct operational link with the banned organization.
The unit has also been named in connection with the March 1, 2024 explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, where investigators believe a similar device was used.
