Newly accessed WhatsApp chats of terror suspect Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather have revealed his acute financial desperation barely a month before the November 10 Red Fort blast, according to investigative sources quoted in media. The chats, which had been deleted from his mobile phone, were traced by forensic teams examining data extracted during the probe.
Sources told the media that the messages show Dr Adeel making repeated requests for an advance payment of his salary. In one of the conversations, he explicitly writes that he is in “desperate need for money”, signalling a financial crisis that investigators believe may have had direct bearings on the subsequent conspiracy.
Officials said the chats recovered so far span four consecutive days, September 5, 6, 7, and 9, each reflecting urgency and mounting anxiety over his financial situation. Investigators are now examining whether these monetary requests were connected to funding the planning or execution of the terror plot.
Investigating agencies believe Dr Adeel’s desperation was not merely personal but could be tied to the operational needs of the terror cell. According to sources, Rs 26 lakh had been raised to execute the conspiracy, and Dr Adeel reportedly contributed Rs 8 lakh towards the plot.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing whether his scramble for money in early September was part of ongoing efforts to arrange funds, mobilise logistics, or aid other accused individuals involved in the planning.
Officials say these chats strengthen their understanding of the financial architecture behind the blast, laying bare how various members of the cell mobilised resources to carry out the attack that killed 15 people and left more than 24 injured.
Even as investigators continue piecing together digital and financial evidence, the NIA has arrested another key figure in the case.
A man identified as Soyab, a resident of Dhauj in Haryana’s Faridabad district, has been taken into custody for sheltering the main bomber, Dr Umar Un Nabi, prior to the attack. According to the NIA, Soyab provided Dr Umar not only accommodation but also logistical support, making him the seventh person arrested in the widening investigation.
The agency stated that Soyab’s arrest has helped them further decode the operational network, including hideouts, communication channels, and movement patterns of the suspects.
The Red Fort blast probe has so far revealed an expansive terror module with members across several states. Earlier, the NIA had arrested six primary suspects:
1. Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie,
2. Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather,
3. Dr Shaheen Saeed,
4. Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay,
5. Amir Rashid Ali (owner of the car used in the blast), and
6. Jasir Bilal Wani, who provided technical assistance.
The network appears to be spread across Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other regions, where investigators continue to conduct searches and question potential associates. Over 73 witnesses have been examined so far.
Investigators have also seized a second vehicle belonging to bomber Dr Umar Un Nabi, an Assistant Professor at Al Falah University and a Pulwama resident. The NIA believes this vehicle may provide additional clues about the group’s planning and movements.
The devastating car blast near Red Fort on November 10, which triggered widespread shock and national condemnation, is now being understood as the outcome of meticulous planning, coordinated funding, and interstate support. Officials say the WhatsApp chats recovered from Dr Adeel’s phone have become a vital link in reconstructing the events leading to the explosion.
The NIA continues to collaborate with multiple state police forces, tracking financial transactions, digital footprints, and communication trails as part of its effort to uncover the full extent of the terror conspiracy and dismantle the network.
