NIA arrests Faridabad man for harboring Red Fort bomber
What's the story
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a resident of Faridabad, Haryana, in connection with the November 10 suicide bombing near Delhi's Red Fort, News18 reported. The accused, identified as Soyab of Dhauj village, is alleged to have provided shelter and logistical support to Umar Un Nabi before the attack. This is the seventh arrest in the case so far. The blast killed at least 15 people and left around 20 injured.
Investigation progress
Soyab's role in Red Fort blast investigation
The report quoted sources as saying that Soyab is an employee of Al-Falah University. According to NIA, Muzammil Shakeel Ganai, identified as part of the "white collar" module, kept a grinder and portable furnace at Soyab's house for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The NIA has previously arrested six people in connection with this case. These include Dr Muzammil, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather from Anantnag (J&K), Dr Shaheen Shahid from Lucknow (UP), and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay from Shopian (J&K).
Ongoing probe
Additional arrests and ongoing investigation efforts
Amir Rashid Ali, who had registered the vehicle used in the blast, and Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish, who provided technical assistance to Umar, are also in NIA custody. The agency continues pursuing leads across states with local police forces to identify others involved in this attack. The investigation includes reconstructing the movements of the accused persons at various locations linked to the case.
Evidence collected
Explosives seized during raids in Faridabad
During raids in Faridabad on November 9-10, police recovered around 2,900kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate. The investigation has also revealed that Dr Saeed, Dr Ganaie, and Dr Nabi were associated with Al Falah University (Faridabad), along with Umar Un Nabi. This connection is being probed further as part of the ongoing investigation into the Red Fort blast case.