

COIMBATORE: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday charge sheeted five more persons in the Coimbatore car blast case, in which the perpetrator, suicide bomber Jamesha Mubeen, was killed in October, 2022.
According to the NIA, this is the fourth supplementary charge sheet in the case. The NIA has charged Sheikh Hidayathullah, Umar Farooq, Pavas Rahman, Sharan Mariappan and Aboo Hanifa for their involvement in terror financing and other activities linked to the attack targeting the Kottai Sangameshwarar Temple in Coimbatore. With this, a total of 17 accused have been charge sheeted in the case so far.
In its latest charge sheet, the NIA has filed a fresh set of charges for terror financing against Sheikh Hidayathullah and Amir and Umar Faaruq, both of whom had been charge sheeted earlier for other offences in the case.
The two accused had orchestrated a fake COVID-19 vaccine certificate scam in 2021-2022, using the funds earned from the scam to procure materials for explosives and other resources for the attack. The scam was facilitated by accused Pavas Rahman and Sharan, while Aboo Hanifa provided funds for generating fake certificates.