New Delhi: The probe into the deadly blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 15 people, has uncovered a deeper terror conspiracy involving a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed handler known as ‘Hanzulla’, who allegedly shared bomb-making videos with one of the arrested doctors, Dr Muzamil Shakeel, sources have revealed. Preliminary investigations suggest that “Hanzulla” is likely a pseudonym used by the handler.
The name “Commander Hanzulla Bhai” had earlier surfaced on Jaish posters pasted in Nowgam, Jammu & Kashmir, in October, which had sparked the initial terror investigation. Security agencies are now working to trace this handler and map the chain of radicalisation and coordination behind the Delhi blast.
How the Jaish Handler Reached the Doctors
According to sources, the Pakistan-based handler first made contact with Shakeel through Maulvi Irfan Ahmed, a cleric from Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir. Ahmed is believed to have played a central role in radicalising young professionals and building a white-collar terror module.
Maulvi Irfan initially recruited Dr Shakeel — who worked at Faridabad’s Al-Falah University before his medical license was cancelled. Shakeel then connected with other like-minded doctors at the university:
- Dr Muzaffar Ahmad
- Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather
- Dr Shaheen Saeed
Shakeel has been accused of transporting explosives and facilitating logistics for the module, including handing over the white Hyundai i20 used in the Delhi blast to the suicide bomber Umar Mohammad alias Umar-un-Nabi.
200 IEDs, Multiple Cars, and Coded Messages
Investigators say the module, likely linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, had been planning attacks in Delhi for months. The group was allegedly preparing 200 powerful IEDs to target high-security areas across Delhi, Gurugram, and Faridabad.
Besides the i20 used in the Red Fort blast, the module had also procured two additional cars from Delhi, sources added.
To mask their communication, the doctors used Telegram and spoke in code, substituting everyday food names for terror materials and activities.
Examples included:
- “Biryani” = Explosive material
- “Daawat” = A planned terror event
The Blast and Umar’s Final Act
The white Hyundai i20 exploded near the Red Fort last week, and DNA tests have confirmed Umar as the suicide bomber. According to investigators, Umar may have panicked after two key module members — Dr Shakeel and Dr Rather — were arrested and large quantities of explosives were seized.
On the same day as the blast, authorities discovered 2,900 kg of explosives just 50 km from Delhi, in Faridabad — indicating a much larger operation.
Al-Falah University Under Intense Scrutiny
Faridabad-based Al-Falah University has emerged as a significant focal point in the terror financing and radicalisation probe. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested the university’s founder, Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, this week in connection with a money laundering case tied to terror funding.
The arrest followed two FIRs filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch over alleged cheating and forgery in the university’s accreditation documents.
The ED raided at least 25 locations linked to the university, including its Okhla headquarters. Investigators recovered:
- ₹48 lakh in cash
- Multiple digital devices
- Crucial documentary evidence
In response to emerging details, Faridabad Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the university’s activities.