Delhi blast: Al Falah University doctors among three detained

Delhi Police and NIA detained three individuals, including two doctors from Al Falah University, in connection with the Red Fort blast. Investigations focus on links to a “white collar terror module”, illegal fertiliser purchase, and suspect movements prior to the explosion

New Delhi: Delhi Police have detained three persons, including two doctors from Haryana’s Al Falah University who were known to Dr Umar Nabi, the driver of the car that exploded near the Red Fort, officials said on Saturday.

Several individuals were questioned, including a tea seller in whose stall Umar had made a brief stop, and also visited a mosque where he prayed on the day of the blast.

---

The detentions were made during coordinated raids conducted on Friday night by the Delhi Police Special Cell and a National Investigation Agency team in Haryana’s Dhauj, Nuh and adjoining areas, officials said.

According to sources, they detained two Al Falah University doctors — Mohammad and Mustakim — from Nuh.

The two were allegedly in touch with Dr Muzammil Ganaie, who was arrested in connection with the wider probe into a “white collar terror module”. They were also close friends 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. He came to the national capital to appear for an interview at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), they said.

Further questioning of Mohammad and Mustakim is underway to ascertain the extent of their association with Dr Ganaie and whether they had any role in the wider conspiracy being probed, they added.

Police also questioned a tea seller in Wazirpur Industrial Area, where Dr Umar had stopped for 10 to 15 minutes. The man informed police that Umar did not eat or drink anything, but sat in the tea stall for some time 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,” the tea seller, who was released after questioning, told reporters.

The investigators have asked the managing committee of a mosque near Ramlila Maidan on Asaf Ali Road to furnish records of people who visited it on the day of the blast.

They also visited Al Falah University headquarters in Okhla and sought details about the suspects.

Meanwhile, in a parallel operation in Nuh, investigating agencies detained another man, identified as Dinesh alias Dabbu, for selling fertilisers without a licence.

It has emerged that the members of the terror module had pooled around Rs 26 lakh to buy explosive substances and spent Rs 3 lakh out of it to purchase NPK fertiliser, which is commonly used to make bombs.

It is being probed whether Dinesh sold the fertiliser to the suspects and if his activities extended beyond the illegal trade, officials said.

Separately, the officials said that Dr Shaheen Sayeed, another Al Falah University doctor arrested in connection with the terror module case, had recently applied for a passport.

A police verification was conducted for her application on November 3 at room number 29 of the university hostel and officers also photographed her as part of the routine procedure, they said.

Agencies are examining whether her application has any bearing on the ongoing investigation.