Al-Falah University under scrutiny after Faridabad terror arrests and Red Fort blast

Al-Falah University and its sprawling 76-acre campus in Dhauj village, Faridabad, Haryana, are under investigation following the arrest of three doctors in connection with a “white-collar terror module” and the high-intensity explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort.

Authorities allege that educated individuals linked to the university were acting under the direction of Pakistan-backed handlers, prompting investigators to examine how the institution became a hub for such activities.

Established under the Haryana Private Universities Act, Al-Falah University began as an engineering college in 1997. It received ‘A’ category accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2013 and was granted university status by the Haryana government in 2014. The university also includes the Al-Falah Medical College.

In its early years, experts say the university positioned itself as an alternative to Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia for minority students. Located just 30 kilometres from Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, the university is managed by the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, founded in 1995.

Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui serves as chairman of the trust, Mufti Abdullah Qasimi as vice-chairman, and Mohammad Wajid DME as secretary. The university’s current registrar is Prof (Dr) Mohammad Parvez, with Dr Bhupinder Kaur Anand as Vice-Chancellor.

The campus houses three colleges: Al-Falah School of Engineering and Technology, Brown Hill College of Engineering and Technology, and Al-Falah School of Education and Training. It also runs a 650-bed hospital offering free medical treatment to patients.

Police conducted inspections across the university on Tuesday and questioned several individuals as part of their investigation.

The probe follows Monday evening’s explosion near the Red Fort metro station, which killed 12 people and injured several others. The Hyundai i20 involved in the blast was reportedly driven by Pulwama-based doctor Mohammad Umar Nabi, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University.

Earlier on Monday, authorities arrested eight individuals, including three doctors associated with the university, and seized 2,900 kilograms of explosives linked to a terror module involving Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, with operations spanning Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Among those arrested was Dr Muzammil Ganaie, a faculty member at Al-Falah University.

Investigators continue to examine the university’s role in the terror network and are scrutinising links between its staff and the broader operations.

With PTI Inputs