Investigators link three doctors to hawala-funded operation; NIA confirms Dr Umar as ‘suicide bomber’ behind vehicle-borne IED
New Delhi, Nov 16: Investigative agencies have made significant progress in the Red Fort car blast case, uncovering a ₹20 lakh fund trail allegedly routed through a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) handler and arresting a Kashmir resident who is believed to have conspired with “suicide bomber” Dr Umar-un-Nabi in executing the attack that claimed 13 lives.
Intelligence inputs indicate that the funds, suspected to have been moved via a hawala network, were linked to three doctors — Umar, Muzammil and Shaheen. Sources said that approximately ₹3 lakh from the amount was used to procure 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser, a compound that, apart from its agricultural use, can be employed to manufacture explosive material. Investigators believe the fertiliser was used to produce the explosives that detonated near the Red Fort on November 10.
Officials also revealed that internal disagreements had surfaced between Dr Umar and Dr Shaheen over the handling of the finances. A crucial breakthrough reportedly came from inputs provided by Muzammil, enabling agencies to piece together the monetary trail behind the conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced the arrest of Amir Rashid Ali, a resident of Samboora, Pampore (J&K), who had allegedly conspired with Dr Umar to carry out the bombing. Amir, in whose name the explosive-laden car was registered, was arrested in Delhi after the NIA launched extensive searches across multiple states.
According to the NIA, Amir had travelled to Delhi to help facilitate the purchase of the vehicle later used as a “vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED)” — the first time the agency has formally used this term for the attack. The agency also described Dr Umar as a “suicide bomber”, confirming that he was behind the wheel when the vehicle exploded.
The NIA has forensically established Dr Umar’s identity. He was an assistant professor in the General Medicine Department at Al Falah University, Faridabad, and a resident of Pulwama district in Jammu & Kashmir. Another vehicle belonging to him has been seized for forensic analysis as part of efforts to trace the wider conspiracy.
In a separate development, Delhi Police confirmed that three cartridges recovered from the blast site — two live and one empty — were of 9 mm calibre, a category prohibited for civilian use and typically held by security forces or those with special authorization. No weapon or related parts were found at the site, prompting investigators to probe how the ammunition reached the location and whether it was connected to the suspects.
Security agencies continue to examine CCTV footage, forensic samples and multiple leads while coordinating with police forces of Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The NIA has so far examined 73 witnesses, including injured survivors, and is pursuing evidence pointing to a broader terror network behind the attack.
Meanwhile, Counter Intelligence Kashmir on Sunday conducted searches at the residence of a doctor in Anantnag district in connection with the ‘white collar terror module’ case, officials said.
The raid was carried out by the CIK sleuths at Malaknag in the Anantnag area during the night, the officials said.
They said that during the searches, the CIK personnel found that a female doctor hailing from Haryana was residing in the house as a tenant.
The CIK seized a mobile phone from the house and took it for forensic analysis, the officials said.
Meanwhile, Bilal Ahmad Wani, a dry fruit seller who, along with his son Jasir Bilal, was picked up by police for questioning in connection with the terror module case, tried to set himself on fire in the Qazigund area, according to the officials.
Bilal Ahmad was rushed to the GMC, Anantnag, for the treatment of burns, and his condition was stated to be stable.
His son remains in custody for questioning, they said.
Wani is a neighbour of Dr Muzaffar Rather, who has emerged as a key accused in the ‘white collar terror module’ case.
While Muzaffar is currently believed to be in Afghanistan, his younger brother, Dr Adeel Rather, was arrested from the Saharanpur area of Uttar Pradesh on November 6.
The investigation remains ongoing as agencies work to identify all those involved in planning, funding and executing the bombing near the iconic Red Fort.
