New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday remanded three doctors and a preacher — all arrested in connection with the November 10 Red Fort blast — to 12 days of judicial custody, marking another significant step in the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) expanding investigation into the case.
The four accused — Dr Muzammil Ganai, Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Shaheena Saeed, and Maulvi Irfan Ahmed Wagay — were produced before the court upon the expiry of their four-day NIA remand granted on December 8. Court proceedings were held under heavy security at the Patiala House district court premises, with mediapersons barred from attending.
Separately, another accused, Dr Bilal Naseer Malla, was produced before Principal and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna for the authentication of his voice sample. Dr Malla, a resident of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir, is the eighth accused arrested in the case so far.
NIA: Dr Bilal Played Key Role in Conspiracy
The NIA, which arrested Dr Malla from Delhi on December 9, has described him as a key conspirator in the terror plot.
According to the agency, he harboured the deceased accused, Umar Un Nabi, by providing logistical support and is also accused of destroying evidence connected to the attack.
The NIA said in its earlier statement:
“The agency continues to pursue various leads in connection with the suicide bombing and has been conducting searches across states in coordination with respective police forces to identify and track others involved in the gruesome attack.”
The November 10 Blast and the ‘White Collar’ Module
The devastating explosion took place when an explosive-laden Hyundai i20 driven by Dr Umar Un Nabi detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10, killing 15 people and injuring several others.
PTI previously reported that this sophisticated terror module — described as a ‘white collar’ network spearheaded by educated professionals, particularly doctors — had been searching for a suicide bomber for nearly a year. Umar was believed to be the key planner and eventually carried out the attack himself.
Eight Arrests So Far
With Dr Bilal Naseer Malla’s arrest, the total number of detainees in the case has risen to eight. The investigation continues across multiple states as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the network involved in the attack.