New Delhi: Delhi Police have detained three individuals, including two doctors from Haryana’s Al Falah University, in connection with the car explosion near the Red Fort. The two doctors were reportedly known to Dr Umar Nabi, the driver of the vehicle that exploded, officials said on Saturday.
The detentions followed coordinated raids conducted on Friday night by the Delhi Police Special Cell and a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team across Haryana’s Dhauj, Nuh, and adjoining areas.
According to sources, the two doctors, identified as Mohammad and Mustakim, were allegedly in contact with Dr Muzammil Ganaie, who had earlier been arrested in connection with the wider probe into a "white-collar terror module." They were also close associates of Dr Umar Nabi, the sources said. Initial interrogation revealed that one of the detained doctors was in Delhi on the day of the blast to appear for an interview at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Further questioning is underway to determine the extent of their association with Dr Ganaie and any potential involvement in the broader conspiracy.
Police also questioned a tea seller at Wazirpur Industrial Area, where Dr Umar had briefly stopped for 10-15 minutes. The tea seller said Umar did not consume anything but sat at the stall before leaving. “The police asked us about the man involved in the blast. We don’t pay close attention to every customer. They wanted to know if he stayed here, had tea, and other similar details. I only remember that he was wearing a mask. They showed him in a CCTV footage,” he told reporters.
Investigators have also asked the managing committee of a mosque near Ramlila Maidan on Asaf Ali Road to provide records of visitors on the day of the blast. Additionally, officials visited Al Falah University headquarters in Okhla seeking details about the suspects.
In a parallel operation in Nuh, authorities detained another man, identified as Dinesh alias Dabbu, for selling fertilisers without a licence. Investigations revealed that members of the terror module had pooled around Rs 26 lakh to buy explosive substances, spending Rs 3 lakh to purchase NPK fertiliser, commonly used to make bombs. Officials are probing whether Dinesh sold fertiliser to the suspects and whether his activities went beyond illegal trading.
Separately, police confirmed that Dr Shaheen Sayeed, another Al Falah University doctor arrested in connection with the terror module, had recently applied for a passport. A police verification of her application was conducted on November 3 at room number 29 of the university hostel, during which officers also photographed her as part of routine procedures. Agencies are examining whether her passport application has any bearing on the ongoing investigation.
With PTI inputs