The Union Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the probe into the Bengaluru cafe blast to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday, said sources.
At least nine people were injured after an explosion rocked Rameshwaram Cafe in Brookfield, East Bengaluru, on March 1.
Earlier, Karnataka's Central Crime Branch was hunting for the prime suspect who was seen wearing a cap, mask and glasses in CCTV footage. The man was seen buying rava idli from the counter. After sitting down at a place, he reportedly set the timer and left, said police sources.
The blast was reportedly caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). No organisation has claimed responsibility for the explosion.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar hinted at a possible connection between the cafe blast and the 2002 Mangaluru cooker explosion, as police found similar materials being used.
The IED in the pressure cooker accidentally went off when it was being transported in an autorickshaw in November 2022. An investigation revealed that the IED was meant to be planted at the Kadri Manjunatha Temple in the coastal city.
