NIA Nabs Key Enabler in Red Fort Bombing Plot: Arrest Exposes Deeper Terror Network
In a significant escalation of its investigation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken into custody a 32-year-old man from Faridabad, Haryana, accused of offering shelter and essential logistical aid to the suicide bomber behind the deadly explosion near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort.
According to agency insiders, Mohammad Soyab, who hails from Dhauj village in Faridabad, is believed to have housed Dr. Umar un Nabi in the lead-up to the November 10 attack and facilitated vital operational support for the assault. The incident involved Nabi driving a Hyundai i20 vehicle that detonated, claiming the lives of 13 individuals.
This latest detention marks the seventh arrest linked to the case. “Investigations point to Soyab’s role in furnishing Nabi with logistical assistance,” an NIA spokesperson noted. “His questioning is expected to illuminate the broader infrastructure that backed the bomber’s mission.”
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Nabi, a medical professional at Al Falah Hospital in Faridabad, shared ties with colleagues Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganai and Dr. Shaheen Sayeed, both implicated in connections to the Pakistan-headquartered militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Just prior to the blast, authorities dismantled a JeM-Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) terror cell operating across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The operation uncovered approximately 3,000 kilograms of ammonium nitrate—a key explosive precursor—from two rented spaces near a university campus in Faridabad, controlled by Muzammil.
Previous NIA apprehensions included Muzammil, Sayeed, fellow physician Adeel Ahmad Rather, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, Amir Rashid Ali—the registered owner of the blast vehicle—and Jasir Bilal Wani, known as Danish, who reportedly supplied technical expertise to Nabi.
Intelligence assessments suggest these detainees formed part of a sophisticated JeM “white-collar” unit, plotting strikes reminiscent of the 2019 Pulwama bombing in major urban centers, including the national capital.
The inquiry underscores an alarming evolution in transnational terrorism tactics: the remote radicalization of skilled professionals via online channels by overseas coordinators from Pakistan and beyond.
“The NIA remains committed to chasing down every lead in this suicide bombing probe,” the agency declared in a Wednesday statement. “Ongoing raids, in tandem with state police, aim to pinpoint and apprehend all accomplices in this heinous act.”
Adding to the scrutiny, the Enforcement Directorate last week detained Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui, founder and chairman of the Al Falah Group, on money laundering allegations. The Haryana institution has drawn intense focus following the emergence of three affiliated doctors as key figures in the conspiracy, highlighting the infiltration of the “white-collar” network.