New Angles Emerge in the Red Fort Blast Case

The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) chargesheet in the Red Fort blast case has revealed details of an alleged ‘white-coat’ terror module involving three doctors linked to Al-Falah University. According to the agency, the group initially tested explosives on the university campus before moving their experiments to isolated areas around Faridabad and eventually the Aravalli forest region.

The chargesheet alleges that Dr Umar Un Nabi, Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai and Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather tested explosive mixtures and weapons in secluded locations. The investigation reportedly found that the group progressed from experimenting with fertiliser-based explosives to preparing large quantities of IEDs. The NIA has linked the module to the suicide attack near the Red Fort on November 10 last year, in which 15 people were killed and 29 injured.

According to the NIA, Umar, Ganai and student Jasir Bilal Wani allegedly conducted an explosive test near a borewell on the Al-Falah University campus during September–October last year. The group later shifted its activities to isolated fields and the Dhauj forest, where TATP was allegedly tested. The agency also alleges that Dr Shaheen Shahid provided around ₹16 lakh to members of Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, which was used to acquire weapons. Rented houses in Dhauj and Khori Jamalpur were reportedly used to store chemicals and other materials. The NIA also said around 2,600 kg of ammonium nitrate was recovered from Fatehpur Taga on November 9, a day before the blast.