The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday arrested another key accused in connection with the car bomb blast near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed 11 civilians last month, officials said.
The ninth accused arrested in the case, Yasir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, was apprehended from New Delhi and placed under arrest under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the agency said.
According to the NIA, investigations have revealed Dar’s active role in the conspiracy behind the November 10 blast that rocked the national capital.
The agency said he had sworn allegiance and taken an oath to carry out self-sacrificial operations.
Officials said Dar was in close contact with other accused in the case, including Umar Nabi, the deceased perpetrator of the bombing, and Mufti Irfan.
A Delhi court on Thursday sent Dar to NIA custody till December 26 after the agency sought custodial interrogation of the accused.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma allowed the plea of the National Investigation Agency, noting the requirement of sustained questioning in the case, officials said.
Earlier this month, the agency conducted extensive searches at the premises of several accused and suspects in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, seizing digital devices and other incriminating materials.
These searches were preceded by similar operations at the premises of prime accused Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai and Dr Shaheen Saeed at the Al Falah University complex and other locations in Faridabad, Haryana.
On December 9, the NIA had arrested the eighth accused, Dr Bilal Naseer Malla of Baramulla.
Investigations into the case had earlier led to the busting of a white-collar terror module allegedly operated by local doctors in the Faridabad area by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Haryana Police.
Two conspirators, Dr Adil Rather and Dr Muzammil Ganai, were arrested, while the third conspirator, Dr Umar Nabi, had evaded arrest before carrying out the blast by ramming an explosive-laden car near the Red Fort.
Umar Nabi was killed in the explosion, while 11 civilians also lost their lives.