ED Conducts Raids in Multiple States Linked to Coimbatore Bombing Investigation
The Enforcement Directorate has launched a significant operation, conducting searches at 16 locations across Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Telangana. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into money laundering related to the 2022 Coimbatore bomb blast, which was linked to terror funding. The ED's efforts are based on multiple FIRs filed by the National Investigation Agency, revealing connections to radicalization and funding methods used by the accused. The investigation has uncovered alarming details about how the suspects raised funds through scams and fraudulent activities. As the NIA continues its inquiry, the case has seen a total of 17 individuals charged in connection with the attack. Read on to learn more about the unfolding developments in this critical investigation.
| Jul 30, 2026, 16:48 IST
Enforcement Directorate's Raids Across States
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) executed searches at 16 locations across Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Telangana on Thursday. This operation is part of an investigation into money laundering associated with terror funding linked to the 2022 Coimbatore bomb blast incident. The agency's search efforts commenced early in the morning. The ED's Chennai zonal office targeted areas in Chennai and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad in Telangana, and Mumbai in Maharashtra. These locations were connected to suspects involved in the case. The ED's inquiry was initiated based on several FIRs filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which were related to the suicide bombing that occurred near the Sangameshwar Temple in Coimbatore in 2022. This attack was carried out by Jameesha Mubeen (the suicide bomber) and others, inspired by ISIS, utilizing a modified Maruti car packed with explosives.
Funding Methods for Terror Activities
Officials informed that the accused employed two primary methods to raise funds for their terrorist activities. Firstly, during the COVID pandemic, they orchestrated a scam involving fake COVID-19 vaccination certificates, charging individuals who sought counterfeit certificates without receiving the actual vaccine. Secondly, they raised funds through donations and fraudulent investments linked to the Kovi Arabic College, which was deeply involved in radicalizing youth.
Connections to Radicalization and Terrorism
The investigation revealed that 12 accused individuals, including Mubeen, participated in sessions at Kovi Arabic College, either online or offline. They were guided by the college's promoter, Jameel Basha, which led them to adopt a Salafi-jihadi ideology and plot a terrorist attack in support of the banned organization 'Islamic State of Iraq and Syria' (ISIS).
NIA's Ongoing Investigation
In April 2025, the NIA filed its fourth supplementary chargesheet in the ISIS-inspired Coimbatore car bomb case, naming five additional individuals. The suicide bomber responsible for the attack was killed during the incident. The chargesheet (RC-01/2022/NIA/CHE) implicated Sheikh Hidayatullah, Umar Farooq, Pavas Rahman, Sharan Mariyappan, and Abu Hanifa in activities related to terror funding and other terrorist acts. This attack targeted the Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Tirukovil Hindu temple in Coimbatore in October 2022. By this point, a total of 17 accused individuals had been charged in connection with this case.