Investigations into Monday’s high-intensity blast near Delhi’s Red Fort — which killed 12 people and injured several others — have revealed that one of the arrested suspects, Dr Muzammil Ganaie, had carried out multiple reconnaissance visits to the Red Fort area in January this year, weeks before the Republic Day celebrations.
Police analysing dump data from Dr Muzammil’s mobile phone said his repeated presence around the Red Fort was detected in the first week of January.
“These visits were part of a detailed reconnaissance ahead of a planned attack on January 26,” a senior police officer said, requesting anonymity.
Officials suspect the reconnaissance was part of a larger conspiracy to target the historic monument, which might have failed due to heightened security and intense patrolling in the area at the time.
According to investigators, Dr Muzammil and his associate, Dr Umar Nabi, visited the Red Fort multiple times to study security arrangements and crowd density. Their movements were corroborated through tower location data and CCTV footage from nearby areas.
Police are now examining Dr Muzammil’s communications and digital footprint to trace the funding sources for the module and determine how explosives were procured. Investigators are also verifying whether other suspects conducted similar recces or provided logistical support.
“Mobile dump data, especially of Dr Umar’s movement near the Red Fort, is being analysed to ascertain whether he was in contact with anyone just before the blast,” a senior officer said.
The case, initially probed by Delhi Police, has since been transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Al-Falah University under scanner
The investigation has also turned the spotlight on Al-Falah University in Faridabad’s Dhauj village, where three arrested doctors — including Dr Muzammil Ganaie and Dr Umar Nabi — were employed.
Police said they conducted inspections across the 76-acre campus on Tuesday and questioned several staff members and students. “With educated individuals found to be acting at the behest of Pakistan-backed handlers, investigators are scrutinising how the university turned into a safe haven for such individuals,” an official said.
Pulwama-based Dr Umar Nabi, suspected to have been driving the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 that detonated near the Red Fort, was an assistant professor at Al-Falah University.
The blast occurred hours after eight people — including three doctors connected to the university — were arrested, and 2,900 kilograms of explosives were seized during the unearthing of a “white-collar terror module” allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, operating across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Established by the Haryana Legislative Assembly under the Private Universities Act, Al-Falah University began as an engineering college in 1997 and gained university status in 2014. It is run by the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, chaired by Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui, with Mufti Abdullah Qasimi M A as vice-chairman and Mohammad Wajid DME as secretary.
The university has three constituent colleges and a 650-bed hospital where doctors provide free treatment. Its current Vice-Chancellor is Dr Bhupinder Kaur Anand, and Prof (Dr) Mohammad Parvez serves as Registrar.
Investigators are examining whether the institution’s resources or networks were exploited to aid the terror module’s operations.