Investigators probing the Delhi blast case, which killed 12 people, have found that the explosion near the Red Fort area was part of a well-planned conspiracy to carry out “serial blasts” across multiple locations in four cities. The trail of procurement of the explosive materials leads to the Basai Meo village in Haryana’s Nuh district. The chain goes as far as Faridabad, Gurugram, and Saharanpur, from where Dr Umar Nabi and his associates – Dr Muzammil, Dr Adeel, and Shaheen – sourced the base materials to build multiple bombs.
Preliminary findings reveal the suspects stockpiled 2,600 kg of NPK fertiliser and 1,000 kg of ammonium nitrate, quantities enough to make multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to target multiple cities.
Reports suggest Dr Umar Nabi and his associates posed as farmhouse owners to purchase fertiliser worth ₹3 lakh from Gurugram, Nuh, along with ammonium nitrate.
Officials have seized multiple vehicles following the explosion of the Hyundai i20 at Red Fort, including a Ford Ecosport and a Maruti Brezza, and are investigating if any more vehicles were involved.
Intelligence agency sources indicate that the suspects of the Delhi Red Fort blast case were preparing two more similar old vehicles packed with explosives to expand their targets.
Investigators also revealed that the suspects jointly raised around ₹20 lakh in cash, handed over to Umar for procuring 2,600 kg of NPK fertiliser and 1,000 kg of ammonium nitrate, intended for IED preparation.
“They spent over ₹20 lakh, with each member contributing. The group also bought rifles and cartridges from Srinagar with help from their handlers, including one codenamed ‘Ukasha',” a senior Delhi Police officer said.
Police have identified fertiliser dealers in Faridabad who supplied material to the suspects. Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganai was the one who frequently visited the shops to purchase NPK. “They didn’t buy everything at once. They collected it gradually over three or four months,” an investigator said.
Meanwhile, the DNA tests earlier confirmed that Dr Umar Un Nabi was the man who carried out the Delhi blast near the Red Fort. His remains, including a leg stuck between the steering wheel and accelerator, matched DNA samples taken from his mother, the Delhi Police said.
Sources at the investigative agencies further revealed that around eight suspects planned to carry out explosions at four locations. “They had planned to move to four cities in groups of two each. Each group was supposed to carry multiple IEDs along with them,” ANI quoted investigative agency sources as saying.
