Lucknow/New Delhi: In the narrow lanes of Daliganj, a densely populated neighbourhood in Lucknow, the home of Syed Ahmad Ansari has become the centre of intense curiosity and disbelief.
His daughter, Dr. Shaheen Saeed, a faculty member at Al-Falah University, has been arrested by Delhi Police over her alleged involvement in the Red Fort blast and suspected links to Jaish-e-Mohammed’s women’s recruitment wing.
The powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed at least nine people and injured over a dozen, has sent shockwaves across the country. Two days after the incident, Dr. Saeed’s family remains in disbelief, struggling to reconcile the accusations with the woman they knew.
“We Cannot Believe It”: Family Stunned by Arrest
Dr. Saeed’s elder brother Mohammad Shoaib, speaking to media, said that police and ATS officers had searched their home but behaved courteously.
“They treated us respectfully. There was no pressure or harshness,” he said. “They only asked when my sister last visited us. We haven’t spoken for four years, though our parents used to check in on her occasionally.”
He added, “Even during her medical studies, there was never any indication of her being involved in anything suspicious. I still can’t believe these allegations.”
Her father, Syed Ahmad Ansari, echoed his son’s disbelief. “My daughter studied medicine in Allahabad and later worked in Faridabad. I had spoken to her barely a month ago. I had no idea about any of this,” he said.
He revealed that Dr. Saeed had been married earlier to a man from Maharashtra but later divorced.
The Former Husband Speaks
In Kanpur, about 90 kilometres away, Dr. Zafar Hayat, Dr. Saeed’s former husband, was questioned by the Crime Branch. “We got married in 2003 and divorced in 2012. She was always caring and deeply attached to her family and children. I never saw any signs of radicalism or unlawful behaviour,” he told reporters.
Dr. Hayat added, “She never wore a burqa except on our wedding day. Once, she even suggested we move abroad for a better life, but there was never any talk of anything extreme.”
Police sources confirmed that investigators visited GSVM Medical College, where Dr. Saeed once worked, to review her employment record. They found she had disappeared from duty in 2013 without notice, leading to her eventual dismissal in 2021.
The Probe: Explosives, Links to ‘White-Collar’ Terror Module
Investigators allege that after joining Al-Falah University in Faridabad, Dr. Saeed came in contact with Dr. Muzammil Ganaie, also known as Musaib, a Kashmiri doctor believed to be part of a “white-collar terror module” with links to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
A search of rented rooms in Faridabad—allegedly associated with Dr. Ganaie—led to the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosive material, including ammonium nitrate, timers, and detonators. Investigators claim that weapons and ammunition were also found in Dr. Saeed’s Maruti Suzuki Swift registered in Faridabad.
Officials further allege that Dr. Saeed had been appointed to establish the India branch of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, the women’s wing of JeM, which operates in Pakistan under Sadia Azhar, sister of JeM chief Masood Azhar.
Terror Network Revival After Operation Sindoor
Sources within intelligence agencies believe the case may be linked to JeM’s attempt to rebuild its networks after Operation Sindoor, during which key JeM operatives—including Yusuf Azhar, husband of Masood Azhar’s sister Sadia—were killed in May.
JeM formally announced the launch of its women’s wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, in October, with recruitment drives reportedly active across Karachi, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Haripur, and Mansehra.
Authorities suspect Dr. Saeed’s medical and academic background provided ideal cover for replicating this recruitment model inside India.
What Lies Ahead
While Delhi Police and central agencies continue to unravel the extent of the network, Dr. Saeed’s family insists she is innocent. Her father maintains hope that the truth will clear her name. “I cannot believe that my daughter, who cared deeply for her family, could be part of such a thing,” he said quietly.
For now, Dr. Saeed remains in custody as investigators dig deeper into what they describe as one of India’s most complex terror-linked investigations in recent years.