Delhi blast car sold multiple times; probe widens across states: Report

Hours after a powerful explosion from a Hyundai i20 killed at least eight people (with some reports pacing the toll at 10 or 11) and injured over two dozen others near Delhi’s Red Fort, police launched a multi-state investigation to trace the vehicle’s ownership history and establish how it came to be at the site of the blast, according to an Indian Express report.

Citing police sources, the report says the car was registered to a resident of Gurgaon, who has since been detained for questioning. The man reportedly told investigators that he had sold the vehicle some time ago, and police are now working with the RTO (Regional Transport Office) to determine who the current owner is. Initial findings suggest that the car may have changed hands several times — first from the Gurgaon resident to a man based in Okhla, and then again to someone in Ambala, Haryana.

Investigators said the car’s registration details were run through the police database once the number plate was identified. The ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition) system showed the vehicle was last captured by cameras in southeast Delhi’s Badarpur area in June this year — nearly five months before the blast.

All documents linked to the vehicle, including ownership transfer papers, have been handed over to the investigating teams, sources said. Police forces from Delhi, Haryana, and other concerned states are coordinating closely to trace the chain of custody and locate the final owner.

Union home minister Amit Shah, who confirmed that Central agencies had joined the probe, said CCTV footage from surrounding areas would play a key role in piecing together the events leading up to the explosion.

“Within 10 minutes of receiving the information about the blast, teams from the Delhi Crime Branch and Special Branch reached the site. The NSG and NIA, along with forensic experts from the FSL, have commenced a comprehensive investigation. I have instructed officials to review all nearby CCTV cameras, and have spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Special Branch in charge,” Shah told reporters.

Forensic experts have already collected material evidence from the blast site, including residue and debris samples, which have been sent for laboratory analysis. Officials said the results are expected to reveal the nature of the explosive used and help establish whether the blast was accidental or deliberate.

Police sources described the investigation as “complex”, given the vehicle’s multiple ownership transfers and the absence of recent sightings in the capital. Investigators are also examining possible links to stolen vehicle networks and illicit trafficking routes that may have facilitated the car’s movement across state lines.

As of late Sunday evening, search operations were continuing in parts of Delhi, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh to locate individuals associated with the car’s recent ownership trail. Authorities have urged anyone with knowledge of the vehicle or its transactions to come forward.

The Red Fort blast, which sent shockwaves across central Delhi on Saturday evening, marks one of the most serious security breaches in recent years at a site that has long been under tight surveillance. Senior officials said a clearer picture is likely to emerge once forensic findings are available and the ownership chain is fully established.