New Delhi: In another major success in the deadly Delhi Red Fort blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two J&K residents having alleged links with the Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) terror outfit for “supplying weapons” to the prime accused.
In a statement, the NIA said both the accused, namely Zameer Ahmad Ahangar of Ganderbal and Tufail Ahmad Bhat of Srinagar, are active over-ground workers (OGWs) of the AGH, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 11.
AGH links unearthed, arms supply network exposed
The duo was formally arrested by the NIA for their active involvement in the whole conspiracy related to the car bomb blast that rocked the national capital on November 10 last year. “The duo had supplied the weapons to the prime accused in the Delhi blast case,” NIA said, citing its investigations.
Investigations in the case (RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI) by NIA, which has been working in coordination with J&K Police, Haryana Police and other agencies, have further revealed that Zameer and Tufail were involved in the blast conspiracy and were also a part of various other terror conspiracies. “They were engaged in the collection of arms and ammunition, intended for use against the Indian state,” said the NIA, pointing to its extensive investigation and examination of evidence.
As per the findings of the national counter-terror agency, the Delhi blast conspiracy was masterminded by Umar, along with other accused – Muzammil Ganai, Shaheen Saeed, Mufti Irfan, Adeel Ahmed Rather, as well as five others who had provided shelter and logistical support to the main conspirators. These nine men were arrested earlier from various locations in J&K and Haryana.
Yasir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Shopian in J&K’s Srinagar, was the ninth accused nabbed from the national capital.
A total of 15 people were killed, and several were injured in the terror attack that took place in a moving car on November 10 near the Red Fort area. The prime accused, Umar Un Nabi, was also killed in the deadly explosion.
The NIA arrested the eighth accused, identified as Dr Bilal Naseer Malla, a resident of J&K’s Baramulla, who harboured the deceased bomber by providing him logistical support. He was also nabbed by an NIA team from Delhi.
The NIA arrested the seventh accused, Soyab of Dhauj, Faridabad (Haryana), in connection with the case on November 25 on charges of allegedly sheltering Umar Un Nabi shortly before the terror act. Soyab told the NIA during his interrogation that he “not only harboured Umar but also extended logistical support to facilitate the terrorist’s movements ahead of the attack.”
On November 20, the agency arrested Shaheen Saeed along with Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai of Pulwama (J&K), Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather of Anantnag (J&K), and Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay of Shopian (J&K). They were taken into custody by the NIA in Srinagar on production orders from the district sessions judge in Patiala House court. Earlier, the NIA arrested two other accused– Amir Rashid Ali, in whose name the car used in the blast was registered, and Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish, who had provided technical aid to the terrorist involved in the deadly attack.
Officials said efforts remain underway to fully expose and dismantle the network involved in planning and executing the deadly attack.
The anti-terror agency, which was handed over the investigation by the Union Home Ministry soon after the attack, is working closely with various state police forces to track and arrest every member of the terrorist module involved in the carnage.
The NIA conducted a search operation on December 1 at eight locations in J&K, as well as in Uttar Pradesh and claimed to have recovered various digital devices and other incriminating materials during the searches conducted at the premises of several accused and suspects in the two states.
The NIA had earlier, on November 26 and 27, conducted extensive searches at the premises of the prime accused, Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganie and Dr Shaheen Saeed, in the Al Falah University complex and other places in Faridabad (Haryana). A huge quantity of cash, foreign currency, gold and other incriminating materials were seized during those searches, and the same are being minutely examined to unravel the conspiracy that culminated in the bombing.
So far, the NIA has learned that one of the accused, Amir, had come to Delhi to facilitate the purchase of the car, which was eventually used as a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to trigger the blast.
NIA has forensically established the identity of the deceased driver of the vehicle-borne IED as Umar, a resident of Pulwama district and Assistant Professor in the General Medicine Department at Al Falah University at Faridabad. Besides, the anti-terror agency has also seized another vehicle belonging to Nabi. The NIA has so far examined 73 witnesses, including those injured in the blast that rocked the national capital.
(With inputs from ANI)
